title: Perceptual transparency in 3- to 4-month-old infants.
abstract: We examined perceptual transparency in infants. In a previous study, Johnson and Aslin (2000 Developmental Psychology 36 808 - 816) found that 4-month-olds could perceive transparency in a moving chromatic display, but not in an achromatic display. In this study, we further examined perceptual transparency in infants using a static achromatic display. Considering the development of figural organisation and contrast sensitivity, we assumed that 3- to 4-month-olds would perceive transparency even in a static achromatic display. We created a transparency and a non-transparent display composed of a partially overlapping circle and square, by switching the colours. Infants aged 3 to 4 months (n = 24) were familiarised with the transparency display (experiment 1) or with the non-transparent display (experiment 2). Then, they were confronted with a uniform colour and a two-colour figure. Infants showed novelty preference for the two-colour figure after they had been familiarised with the transparency display (experiment 1), but not after they had been familiarised with the non-transparent display (experiment 2). These results suggest that 3- to 4-month-old infants can perceive transparency in a static achromatic display.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Chuo University, 742-1, Higashinakano, Hachioji-city, Tokyo 192-0393, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.forename: So
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanazawa
authors.forename: Masami K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008029:Lighting; D008297:Male; D009903:Optical Illusions; D011601:Psychophysics; D014741:Video Recording