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Babies see shape more than colour
What does a baby see when he or she looks out into the
world? No one knows for sure, but researchers at Duke University now have a better idea.
They say shape, rather than colour, seems to be the most important factor for babies when
they try to decipher between two objects. Researchers say by understanding development,
parents can provide babies with experiences
that are appropriate for their abilities at different ages.
"The kind (of measure) we use is based on the
assumption that babies look at things longer if they're puzzled by what they see,"
says Amy Needham, Ph.D., a Psychologist at Duke University in Durham, NC. She tracked the
looking time of 48 babies 4-month in age as they were shown one of three different
displays. Each consisted of two objects placed against each other. As the babies watched
each display, a gloved hand reached into the scene and either moved both objects together,
as if they were one, or moved the two objects apart. Needham says when the babies watched two similar shapes move apart, they looked
longer as if they didn't expect to see the display break apart.
Since other research indicates colour vision is not fully
developed until sometime around four months of age, Needham is now studying the responses
of 8-month-olds. She wants to know if older babies use colour and shape differently than
younger children. |
