Child - Perception

Question 1

Preferential looking technique + Fantz

Answer 1

Infants placed in a looking chamber, where their length of gaze was timed. They were presented with varying objects at the same time.
If a child looks at an object longer than an other, this means they could distinguish between the objects.

Question 2

Habituation technique + pascalis

Answer 2

Pascalis showed infants images of humans and monkeys. Humans were showed first, when the infant would look away the monkey would be showed. Infants at 6m perceived the difference
Infants at 9m could perceive the difference between humans but not monkeys.
This shows perception is innate but is more specialised due to the environment

Question 3

EEG method

Answer 3

Method where electrical activity in the brain is recorded whilst being shown different stimuli

Question 4

Lashley + Russell and Nealy + Riley

Answer 4

Deprivation method used - L+R rats kept in the dark for 90 days. When back in the light, the rats had to jump across gaps. Rats made the jumps
N+R: same method but kept in the dark for 300 days. Rats did not make the jump
Suggesting exposure to the environment is needed for depth perception before the critical period

Question 5

Held + Hein

Answer 5

Kitten carousel: 2 kittens were placed on the carousel. One was active where they could touch the floor, the other was passive, unable to touch the floor. Both were reared in the dark.
The active kitten developed normal visual perception, passive kitten did not.
Self-actuated movement is necessary for depth perception

Question 6

Blake Moore + cooper

Answer 6

New born kittens raised in the dark, at 2 weeks for 5 hours each day they are placed in a cylinder with black and white horizontal lines. This was done for 5 months. The kittens had a collar which restricted their field of vision.
The kittens were visually impaired, they displayed behaviour blindness - they could not detect objects that were aligned in the opposite way to the lines in the cylinder

Question 7

Reisen

Answer 7

Deprivation method - chimps were blindfolded for 2 years and then tested on perceptual abilities. Chimps were functionally blind. They did not blink to approaching objects. Suggesting environmental exposure is need for development of perception

Question 8

Good about external validity about researching perception of animals and infants

Answer 8

+ small samples are used but results are still generalisable as structure in the brain wont change across samples.
+ infants may not realise they are in an artificial setting so would act no different, having no effect on the results

Question 9

Bad about external validity researching perceptual development in animals and infants

Answer 9

• not applicable as children aren’t often placed in dangerous situations where their perception is tested
• favours the use of animals, can’t apply results to humans as perception development of animals is different to humans

Question 10

Good + bad about internal validity of researching perceptual development of animals and infants

Answer 10

+ high construct validity, different research measures a range of perception not just one type
- unable to separate nature and nurture, babies may have learnt perception before study

Question 11

Good and bad about the research of perceptual development in animals and infants

Answer 11

+ standardised equipment, EEG and visual cliff, replicable
- low external reliability, some research argue nature some argue nurture

Question 12

Good and about about ethics of researching perceptual development of animals and infants

Answer 12

+ done for the greater good
+ consent is gained from parents of infants and parents are often present
- use of animals is unethical

Question 13

Aim of Gibson and Walk

Answer 13

To see if young animals and children are able to perceive depth innately and therefore know not to crawl or walk over a cliff edge

Question 14

Sample of Gibson and Walk

Answer 14

36 children 6m-14m
Unspecified number of kittens, rats, goats and chickens

Question 15

Design + method of Gibson and Walk

Answer 15

M: lab experiment
D: repeated measures

Question 16

Procedure of Gibson and Walk

Answer 16

1. Visual cliff was set up - sheet of glass with table cloth under giving the illusion of a drop.
2. Baby was placed on the centre of the table.
3. Mother would stand at position A at the shallow end for two minutes calling the baby over
4. Mother would then stand at position B at the deep end for two minutes calling the baby

Question 17

Results for infants of Gibson and Walk

Answer 17

100% of children moved to the mother at position A
11% of children moved to their mother at position B
Babies would peer over the cliff becoming interested, using the glass for support suggesting the children weren’t scared.

Question 18

Results for animals for Gibson and Walk

Answer 18

Chicks less than 24 hours would not cross
Lambs would not cross as soon as they could walk
Kittens would not cross from 4 weeks

Question 19

How were specific depth cues tested + what was found

Answer 19

Chicks and rats were reared in the dark, with only motion parallax to guide them would not cross, suggesting it is innate
However relative side is learnt

Question 20

Conclusion of depth perception

Answer 20

Elements of perception are innate as, as soon as animals are able to walk they would not cross to the deep side + most infants would not cross over to the deep side