Abstract
Infants’ oculomotor tracking develops rapidly but is poorer when there are horizontal and vertical movement
components. Additionally, persistence of objects moving through occlusion emerges at 4 months but initially
is absent for objects moving obliquely. In two experiments, we recorded eye movements of thirty-two 4-
month-old and thirty-two 6-month-old infants (mainly Caucasian-White) tracking horizontal, vertical, and
oblique trajectories. Infants tracked oblique trajectories less accurately, but 6-month olds tracked more accurately
such that they tracked oblique trajectories as accurately as 4-month olds tracked horizontal and vertical
trajectories. Similar results emerged when the object was temporarily occluded. Thus, 4-month olds’ tracking
of oblique trajectories may be insufficient to support object persistence, whereas 6-month olds may track sufficiently
accurately to perceive object persistence for all trajectory orientations.
components. Additionally, persistence of objects moving through occlusion emerges at 4 months but initially
is absent for objects moving obliquely. In two experiments, we recorded eye movements of thirty-two 4-
month-old and thirty-two 6-month-old infants (mainly Caucasian-White) tracking horizontal, vertical, and
oblique trajectories. Infants tracked oblique trajectories less accurately, but 6-month olds tracked more accurately
such that they tracked oblique trajectories as accurately as 4-month olds tracked horizontal and vertical
trajectories. Similar results emerged when the object was temporarily occluded. Thus, 4-month olds’ tracking
of oblique trajectories may be insufficient to support object persistence, whereas 6-month olds may track sufficiently
accurately to perceive object persistence for all trajectory orientations.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 324-334 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Child Development |
Volume | 92 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 30 Jul 2020 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 30 Jul 2020 |
Keywords
- child development