Learning perceptual organization in infancy.
It has been demonstrated that older infants (6- to 7-month-olds), but not younger infants (3- to 4-month-olds), use form similarity to organize stimuli consisting of X and O elements. We investigated whether utilization of form similarity is governed by maturation or experience by contrasting how infants perform when familiarized with a single exemplar versus multiple exemplars depicting a particular organization. In Experiment 1, 3- to 4-month-olds failed to organize alternating columns or rows of squares and diamonds or Hs and Is, respectively. In Experiment 2, same-aged infants familiarized with all three patterns (X-O, square-diamond, H-I) displayed evidence of organization. The results suggest that 3- to 4-month-olds can use form similarity to organize visual patterns in a concept-formation task. The findings imply that perceptual organization based on form similarity is learned through experience with multiple patterns depicting a common arrangement, rather than immediately apprehended in an individual pattern.
Quinn
Paul C
PC
Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. pquinn@udel.edu
Bhatt
Ramesh S
RS
D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception