This paper describes a series of longitudinal experiments which dealt with the development of object awareness in infants, ages 6-18 months. The experiments were designed to document and evaluate Piaget's account of this development. The studies focused on two types of phenomena: (1) when infants first find an object hidden in one place, they will…

An exploration of the clinical usefulness of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Scale was made. A specific pediatric problem was studied, i.e., a baby born to a heroin-addicted mother taking methadone. The control sample was a population of 41 babies who were part of a larger study. Both methadone and control infants were tested between 48 and 72…

Primarily a feasibility study, the research reported is based on Eysenck's hypothesis that conditionability is a unitary factor related to introversion-extroversion and attention span. Thirty infants, representing a random sampling of race, sex, and socioeconomic background, were tested on three consecutive days at ages 3 months, 5 months, 9…

Piaget explains the stage IV error as a failure to assimilate the new place of hiding rather than a forgetting of it. His hypothesis predicts that the likelihood of error should not vary with the length of the delay interval. Nine-month-old infants delayed 0, 1, 3, or 7 seconds before having the opportunity to search. Infants in all conditions,…

The early development of wariness toward unfamiliar persons and novel objects is examined. Data are based upon the reactions of 32 infants who were repeatedly observed, over the age period 3 to 9 months, as they responded to the near approach of a stranger, and to a variety of new objects. Signs of wariness toward unfamiliar persons began to…

The differential visual responses of 20 Down's Syndrome and 20 normal infants (CA 8 months) to 13 pairs of visual targets were compared. Although DS subjects generally looked longer at the stimuli than normal subjects, they showed a response differential in only 3 stimulus pairs compared to 11 for the normals. Six of the stimulus pairs elicited…

This experiment examined developmental changes in the ability of infants to learn conceptual categories regarding the human face. A total of 108 infants, aged 18, 24, and 30 weeks, were habituated to (1) the same face in the same orientation, (2) the same face in differing orientations, or (3) different faces in different orientations. All…

An historical overview of investigations concerned with delineating the structure and composition of infant intellectual activity is presented. Earlier conceptualizations characterized infant intelligence as a unitary trait or factor. Recent studies contend that infant intellectual activity is comprised of varied sets of relatively independent…

Presents a developmental study of changes in infant attachment behaviors. Five groups of female infants, 8, 11, 14, 19, and 24 months of age, were observed during varying types of separation experiences. Changes in proximity behaviors and contact behaviors were analyzed. (BD)

Describes current research to determine if newborn infants can discern parents from strangers. An infrared detection technique has found that three to five week old infants focus on the edges of faces while older infants look more into the other person's eyes. Increased eye observation is beleived to be associated with parental identification. (CP)

Presents a study of the development of self-recognition in infants from 6 to 24 months of age. The development of self-recognition is compared to the development of object permanence. (BD)

This experiment examines extended learning over a 4-day period in infants exposed to responsive and unresponsive wooden mobiles. Frequency of kicks and attention to the mobile increased over the first three days and was found to vary with the introduction of a novel mobile on day four. (GO)

A review of the literature dealing with the effects of stimulative intervention on premature infants. (BRT)

Selected vocal and gestural imitation items were presented to twenty-four 8-, 14- and 20-month-old boys and girls in an elicited task situation. Both vocal and gestural imitation increased with age, although for each age group there was significantly more gestural than vocal imitation. (BD)

Disputes claims concerning the association between strange-situation behavior around 12-20 months of age and subsequent child performance. Maintains studies have precluded causal inferences about the direction and nature of effects, finding associations only when the quality of care received was stable, thus, precluding inferences about the…