Lecture 1-Introduction

Question 1

In an experimental context, ‘violation of expectancy’ refers to the idea that ….

Answer 1

following familiarisation trials, a child will respond with
surprise if the number of objects on display behind a screen
changes without an intervening event taking place.

Question 2

The criterion used to establish ‘habituation’ is typically determined…..

Answer 2

by babies’ responses to 6 to 9 habituation trials.

Question 3

How does the habituation paradigm differ from the violation of
expectation paradigm?
2

Answer 3

• The habituation paradigm starts with habituation trials; the VoE paradigm starts with familiarisation trials
• Habituation and familiarisation events have different roles in the two paradigms.

Question 4

Preferential looking paradigm-what is it

Answer 4

whether children have a preference for looking at something

Question 5

Preferential looking paradigm

Novelty

Answer 5

we are attracted to what’s new and changing in our environment

Question 6

Paired comparison task

Answer 6

Babies shown the cross first on its own, looking times were measured, there is a delay (IV) before the cross and triangle are shown. Babies should look at what’s new as they have the memory for the cross.
Attracted to what’s novel
Use this experiment to trace memory patterns and how memory develops over time.
The delay can chance depending on age and can measure how long memory is.

Question 7

Paired comparison task

Findings

Answer 7

memory of the first stimulus varies with age
at 6 months decay is rapid
at 9 months, recall is apparent, 90-160 seconds after first shown

Question 8

Language

Answer 8

Baby sits on mother’s lap in front of speaker and screens, A stimulus is presented on both screens. The word of one of the stimuli is played through the speaker. If baby looks at the correct corresponding screen, they have understanding of that word

Question 9

What is a baseline tendency

Answer 9

an average of how long a child looks at an object.

Question 10

PLP design issues

Answer 10

before we implement a procedure, we take a measure of baseline tendency. We do this to ensure we are getting the right answer for the right reasons i.e. the child knows the object

Question 11

Habit and VoE

Differences in looking times are used to establish…

Answer 11

whether a baby knows what is physically impossible between objects, people, or both or what is socially acceptable

Question 12

what is the hab-dis paradigm

Answer 12

habituation is the first time you see a stimuli and hence become less responsive as it’s repeated

Question 13

Hab-Dis
object motion study
first study

Answer 13

no delay before launch and delay before launch
Hab-show baby novel stimulus until bored.
- a white object hits a black object and is launched
- looking times are measured
Dis- show baby same stimulus but include experimental manipulation
-there is a time delay between the white hitting the black object and the black being launched
-the delay makes the condition impossible
-looking time is measured
Results- the child should look longer at the impossible condition as it violates their expectations and is impossible showing the infants have knowledge

Question 14

Hab-Dis
Object motion study
second study

Answer 14

Launch with contact and launch with contact reversed
Hab- show baby novel stimulus until bored
Dis- show baby same stimulus but include experimental manipulation
-the object ‘roles’ are reversed
Results- the child will look at the reversed event if they have noticed a difference compared to the Hab

Question 15

Hab-Dis
Object motion study
third study

Answer 15

Single movement and single movement change colour
Hab- show baby stimulus until bored, a white object moves from left to right
Dis- a white object turns black
-looking times are measured
Results- the child will look at the colour change manipulation for longer as it is different to the habituation stimulus

Question 16

Hab-Dis

Summary

Answer 16

• infants shown habituation until looking times drop
• habituation trials are essential to test whether infants are aware of any differences that will be shown during dishabituation trials
• at test, infants find the new manipulation novel and start looking again, if they respond to the IV, they are said to dishabituate
• looking times are COMPARED between hab and dis

Question 17

Violation of expectancy

Answer 17

we will look at something unexpected

Question 18

Violation of expectancy

Baillargeon and DeVos 1991

Answer 18

carrot study

Question 19

Violation of expectancy

carrot study

Answer 19

show infant short and tall carrot FAMILIARISATION events
Short carrot walks behind a tall wall- cannot see carrot behind wall
Tall carrot walks behind tall wall-cannot see carrot behind wall
Nothing is unexpected here as it’s FAMILIARISATION event- no difference in looking times
show infant short and tall carrot TEST events
short carrot walks behind wall with window in- cannot see small carrot as goes below window
tall carrot walks behind wall with window in- cannot see tall carrot BUT should be able to- Violates our expectations=look for longer-impossible
if something violates our expectations we are said to have knowledge

Question 20

Violation of expectancy

summary

Answer 20

infants are shown familiarisation trials until looking times drop
familiarisation trails are shown to ‘familiarise’ infants with the stimuli-not playing same role as hab.
at test, if there is knowledge and hence expectations, infants start looking again at the impossible event

Question 21

Violation of expectancy

why were small and tall carrots used

Answer 21

to know whether infants distinguished between what is physically possible and what is not regardless of the visual experience

Question 22

during VofE compared to Hab, what are we comparing

Answer 22

looking times between familiarisation and test

the hab trials are critical as to test whether infants note any differences that are shown in dis

Question 23

note of caution for familiarisation trials

Answer 23

a method of control must be in place to ensure infants are not responding to the visual characteristics