Re: virus: Study: Infants start learning language in the crib

Paul Prestopnik (pjp66259@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu)
Mon, 6 Oct 1997 08:24:22 -0400

Marie Foster wrote:
> Eva-Lise Carlstrom wrote:
> >
> > On Thu, 2 Oct 1997, Marie Foster wrote:
> >
> > > Eva-Lise Carlstrom wrote:
> > > I
> > > > thus find myself furrowing my brow at this study's contrary
assumption
> > > > that the sounds to which babies will attend longer are the ones
they
> > > > recognize. Either the case is more complex than either assumption
can
> > > > account for, or somebody is mistaken.
> > > >
> > > > Eva,
> > > > interrogating infants
> > >
> > > I may be wrong, but I think what may be going on here is the
difference
> > > in the research between visual and auditory stimula.
> > >
> > >
> > > Marie
> > >
> >
> > No, this research sounds perfectly analogous to what I've read before
in
> > that respect: playing sounds, judging infants' interest by their
looking
> > behaviour. I remain puzzled.
> >
> > Eva
>
>
> You are probably correct. For some reason I tend to think of music more
> as vibratory than visual input is... What about research that has been
> done on thought? I remember (incompletely) about the difference in
> brain activity between people who think visually and those who think in
> words.
>
> There must be other examples of contradictory research.
>
> Equally puzzled
>
> Marie

---


ok, I asked a relative of mine who is studying cog psych at grad school
about this, and her response seemed to make sense, so I'll post it here.




>_prefer_ familiar stimuli, this is typically measured in increased 
>sucking, etc. However, children will orient to an unfamiliar stimuli 
>quicker than a familiar one. Almost like they are more attracted to 
>an unfamiliar stimulus. I haven't read the article about attending to 
>familiar faces, however, i do know in general children prefer (what 
>books call "more engaged") faces in general. they will look at them 
>longer and follow the movement of the face with their eyes. babies 
>also prefer their mother's (familiar) voice over a stranger's. (they 
>suck more.)
>I'm still trying to sort it out totally in my head, but I think, from 
>what I have learned in development that ther is a difference between 
>_preference_ and  _attention_. 


to me this means that an unfamiliar stimulus will more quickly attract a
childs attention, but that a familiar stimulus will hold their attention
longer.  Does this make sense?


-paul prestopnik