Figural goodness, stimulus heterogeneity, similarity and object segregation in infancy

Abstract

The segregation of objects from other objects in visual arrays is a fundamental function of our visual system. Research suggests that adults' detection of a target among nontargets is affected by the heterogeneity of array elements and the resulting changes in target± nontarget and nontarget ±nontarget similarities. We examined the effects of heterogeneity and similarity on object segregation in infancy. In Experiment 1, 5.5-month-olds detected a misoriented element in an array when the array elements were spatially arranged in a`good' configuration but not when they were arranged in à poor' configuration. In Experiment 2, infants detected a vertical line in a homogeneous array of 55 or 125 lines, but failed to do so in a heterogeneous array of 55 and 125 lines. Thus, heterogeneity in both the arrangement and identity of array elements affected infants' discrepancy detection. Because the average target±nontarget similarity was the same in the two conditions of Experiment 2, the results also indicated that nontarget ±nontarget similarity independently affects discrepancy detection in infancy. These results are consistent with models of object segregation by adults, and suggest that stimulus heterogeneity and similarity have analogous effects on object segregation at 5.5 months of age and in adulthood.

Motion Popout in Selective Visual Orienting at 4.5 But Not at 2 Months in Human Infants

“…Three-to 4-month-olds detected a single line that was oriented differently from the surrounding lines, but even here there were limitations on the angular differences that produce popout (Quinn & Bhatt, 1998). Other studies put the onset of popout on orientation somewhat later (Atkinson & Braddick, 1992;Bertin & Bhatt, 2001b;Rieth & Sireteanu, 1994a, 1994bSireteanu & Rieth, 1992), but again methodological and stimulus display variations could explain some of the differences between results in these studies.…”

The Thatcher illusion and face processing in infancy

“…The portable apparatus used was a modified version of the apparatus used by Fagan (1970; Bertin & Bhatt, 2001; Bhatt & Waters, 1998). It consisted of a hinged, three‐sided stage that contained two compartments to hold stimulus cards.…”

“…An infant‐control habituation procedure was used in this study (e.g. Bertin & Bhatt, 2001; Horowitz, Paden, Bhana & Self, 1972). Each habituation and test trial began with the display stage open and the experimenter attracting the infant's attention to the middle of the display stage.…”

Visual search in typically developing toddlers and toddlers with Fragile X or Williams syndrome

“…Moreover, recent evidence indicates that target–distractor discriminability on even a single feature can determine the speed and accuracy of search for older children (O’Riordan & Plaisted, 2001). Furthermore, infants as young as 5 months can be sensitive to manipulations of featural target–distractor similarity (tested with tasks relying on kicks to mobiles for familiar visual patterns; Gerhardstein, Renner & Rovee‐Collier, 1999) and nontarget heterogeneity (tested with the novelty preference paradigm; Bertin & Bhatt, 2001). These studies provide evidence that a target's featural salience can play a role in selection at as early as 3 months of age, even when feature integration is not required.…”