Assignment 2 Human Growth and Development

Assignment 2

Human growth and Development

Part 1-

You are interested in studying whether 3.5 month-old infants are able to recognize the difference between a smiley face and a sad face. How could you use the habituation method in your study? Be specific, use your own words, and be sure to explain the concepts of habituation and recovery.

Answer part 1-

Fantz (1961) developed the first feasible method for study perception in infants and very young children. The method is called the Fantz preferential looking method. To difference in infants reaction to two different stimuli can be seen by projecting the different stimulus on two different screens. In this situation a smiley face and a sad face can be projected on two difference screens simultaneously and alternatively.

When the 3.5 month old infant is presented with a smiley face alternating with a sad face one can measure the amount of time the infant looks at the smiley face and the sad face. When both faces are presented to the infant simultaneously on two screens one can measure the selective preference of the infant looking at the smiley or the sad. One can measure the times. One can also measure the time infant looks at the smiley or sad face when the faces are repeatedly shown to the infant.

Often a video camera will be used to record the infants looking so that the results can be checked by independent observers to further make the results more objective. It turns out that infants do have strong preferences to what they want to look at. In this experiment, if the infant can see the smiley face , the infant will prefer that much more.

We can also test a habituation method. Just as we get bored when we do or see the same old thing again and again, infants lose interest in a repeated stimulus. In this type of experiment, the infant will be presented a with the smiley face for a brief period of time, say 30 seconds. Either an experimenter or more commonly now a video camera, will record how long...