The Eyes Have It, and Babies Know It
The Eyes Have It, and Babies Know It
Babies Learn to Follow Gazes Early in Life
Nov. 7, 2002 -- Babies may be looking into your eyes for clues about the world around them sooner than you think. New research shows that infants as young as 12 months of age are already following the gaze of others and learning important communication skills.
The study found infants from 12 to 18 months old are much more likely to look at an object if another person turns toward it with the eyes open rather than closed. Researchers say the findings cast doubt on earlier studies that suggested an adult's head movement alone was enough to direct where an infant looks.
The study appears in the current issue of the journal Developmental Psychology.
In the study, researchers tested 32 normally developing infants in three different age groups (12, 14, and 18 months) to see if the infants relied solely on head movements to direct their behavior and if they were sensitive to things that might obstruct a person's view.
In the first test, the babies were seated in their parent's lap across the table from a researcher. The researcher made eye contact with the infant and then silently turned her head toward a toy placed on a pedestal either to the right or the left of the table. When the researchers looked at the toy with her eyes open, 90% of the infants looked at the correct toy compared with only 46% that did the same when the researcher turned her head toward the object with her eyes closed.
The study shows the children were also more interested in the toy and looked at it 50% longer if the researchers eyes were open during the test.
"In kids' terms it's as if the object suddenly becomes more fascinating just because the adult is looking at it," says study co-author Rechele Brooks, a psychologist at the University of Washington, in a news release.
Not only were the children more likely to look at the proper toy, 58% of them also pointed at the correct toy when the researcher's eyes were open compared with only 17% who pointed when the eyes were closed. More babies babbled while looking at the toy as well.
The Eyes Have It, and Babies Know It
Babies Learn to Follow Gazes Early in Life
Nov. 7, 2002 -- Babies may be looking into your eyes for clues about the world around them sooner than you think. New research shows that infants as young as 12 months of age are already following the gaze of others and learning important communication skills.
The study found infants from 12 to 18 months old are much more likely to look at an object if another person turns toward it with the eyes open rather than closed. Researchers say the findings cast doubt on earlier studies that suggested an adult's head movement alone was enough to direct where an infant looks.
The study appears in the current issue of the journal Developmental Psychology.
In the study, researchers tested 32 normally developing infants in three different age groups (12, 14, and 18 months) to see if the infants relied solely on head movements to direct their behavior and if they were sensitive to things that might obstruct a person's view.
In the first test, the babies were seated in their parent's lap across the table from a researcher. The researcher made eye contact with the infant and then silently turned her head toward a toy placed on a pedestal either to the right or the left of the table. When the researchers looked at the toy with her eyes open, 90% of the infants looked at the correct toy compared with only 46% that did the same when the researcher turned her head toward the object with her eyes closed.
The study shows the children were also more interested in the toy and looked at it 50% longer if the researchers eyes were open during the test.
"In kids' terms it's as if the object suddenly becomes more fascinating just because the adult is looking at it," says study co-author Rechele Brooks, a psychologist at the University of Washington, in a news release.
Not only were the children more likely to look at the proper toy, 58% of them also pointed at the correct toy when the researcher's eyes were open compared with only 17% who pointed when the eyes were closed. More babies babbled while looking at the toy as well.
