Age-Related Changes in the Relationship Between Visual Stimulus Intensity and Directional Finger Movements in Infants.

Autor/inn/en	McGuire, Iris; Turkewitz, Gerald
Titel	Age-Related Changes in the Relationship Between Visual Stimulus Intensity and Directional Finger Movements in Infants.
Quelle	(1977), (12 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Age Differences; Infant Behavior; Infants; Perceptual Development; Research; Responses; Visual Stimuli + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Infant; Toddler; Toddlers; Kleinkind; Wahrnehmungsentwicklung; Forschung
Abstract	The relationship between visual stimulus intensity and directional finger movements was examined in infants of two age groups (16 infants, 10 to 15 weeks old, and 8 infants, 20 to 25 weeks old). Two hypotheses derived from Schneirla's Approach-Withdrawal Theory were examined: (1) that responses of the younger, but not of the older infants, would be directly related to stimulus intensity, with finger extension (approach) movements elicited by weak stimuli and flexion (withdrawal) movements elicited by more intense stimuli; and (2) that stimulus dimensions such as distance, size and brightness would make additive contributions to stimulus intensity, so that combinations of weak intensity would elicit finger extension and combinations of strong intensity would elicit flexion. Subjects were shown a red cone that varied in size, brightness and distance from the infant. An analysis of variance indicated significant age, intensity and age x intensity effects. As expected, as intensity increased, the younger infants' responses showed a decreasing proportion of extension movements, while older infants' responses indicated no clear relationship between intensity and response direction. The finding that younger infants were responsive to the quantitative rather than the qualitative aspects of stimulation has important implications for understanding how various stimulus dimensions affect infant responses. (Author/SB)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC