Transfer and scaffolding of perceptual grouping occurs across organizing principles in 3- to 7-month-old infants.
Previous research has demonstrated that organizational principles become functional over different time courses of development: Lightness similarity is available at 3 months of age, but form similarity is not readily in evidence until 6 months of age. We investigated whether organization would transfer across principles and whether perceptual scaffolding can occur from an already functional principle to a not-yet-operational principle. Six- to 7-month-old infants (Experiment 1) and 3- to 4-month-old infants (Experiment 2) who were familiarized with arrays of elements organized by lightness similarity displayed a subsequent visual preference for a novel organization defined by form similarity. Results with the older infants demonstrate transfer in perceptual grouping: The organization defined by one grouping principle can direct a visual preference for a novel organization defined by a different grouping principle. Findings with the younger infants suggest that learning based on an already functional organizational process enables an organizational process that is not yet functional through perceptual scaffolding.
Quinn
Paul C
PC
Department of Psychology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. pquinn@udel.edu
Bhatt
Ramesh S
RS
D000367:Age Factors; D001288:Attention; D032882:Comprehension; D003210:Concept Formation; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005260:Female; D005795:Generalization, Stimulus; D005863:Gestalt Theory; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D002666:Psychology, Child; D014163:Transfer, Psychology