title: Object retrieval in the 1st year of life: learning effects of task exposure and box transparency.
abstract: Before 12 months of age, infants have difficulties coordinating and sequencing their movements to retrieve an object concealed in a box. This study examined (a) whether young infants can discover effective retrieval solutions and consolidate movement coordination earlier if exposed regularly to such a task and (b) whether different environments, indexed by box transparency, would impact the rate of learning and time of discovery of these solutions. Infants (N=12) were presented with an object retrieval task every week from 6 1/2 months of age until they were able to retrieve the toy from the box using coordinated two-handed patterns for 3 weeks. To reach that criterion, infants tested with an opaque box took 2 1/2 months and infants tested with a semitransparent box took 1 1/2 months. Both groups outperformed age-matched controls who received a one-time exposure to the task. Repeated exposure to the task and vision of the toy significantly enhanced this process of solution discovery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Development & Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Bojczyk
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corbetta
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009048:Motor Skills; D009949:Orientation; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011601:Psychophysics; D012858:Size Perception