Continuity and change in habituation in the first 4 months from birth

Abstract

Longitudinal and cross-sectional samples of infants were habituated to three different visual stimuli and given post-habituation tests at term, and at 1,2, 3, and 4 months. Three major findings emerged: (1) for two stimuli there was a marked increase in habituation times at 2 months; (2) there were consistent stimulus differences in habituation times which maintained across age; and (3) for two of the stimuli there were changes in post-habituation preferences across age. The findings give a clear indication that visual development in early infancy is characterized both by change and by continuity. The implications of the findings for understanding perception and attention in early infancy are discussed.