Visual Pattern Recognition in Infants of 12-14 weeks

Abstract

The aim of this repeated series bifactorial study was to establish the presence of the capacity for visual pattern recognition in two groups of 20 infants, of 12 and 14 weeks age respectively. The “preferential looking” technique was used, measured in seconds for each one of four pairs of opposing complex visual stimuli, shown for one minute each. The hypothesis proposed that younger babies choose complex patterns over simple, as do the older. The stimuli were cardboard sheets 20×20 cm each, positioned 30 cm from the babies’ eyes. The results confirmed the hypothesis, with infants of 12 weeks holding their gaze for a long time in seconds on complex stimulus versus less complex stimulus, e.g.: x = 18.76 versus x = 9.83; x = 15.75 versus x = 8.56; x = 11.62 and x = 10.67, and, x = 11.02 and x = 9.45. For babies of 14 weeks the differences in seconds were: x = 18.81 versus x = 10.08; x = 15.82 versus x = 8.93; x = 11.55 versus x = 10.68; x = 9.1 and = 9.58, respectively. It is concluded that maturation is the preeminent variable over geographical and environmental background of the subjects examined.