TPO 13-1 Methods of Studying Infant Perception

Paragraph 1 indicates that researchers are primarily using indirect methods to observe the

• range of an infant’s visual field

• change in an infant’s state following the introduction of a stimulus

• frequency and duration of various stimuli

• range of motor activity in neonates

The word uniformly in the passage is closest in meaning to

• occasionally

• clearly

• consistently

• quickly

Why does the author mention repetitive following movements of the eye?

• To emphasize that responses to stimuli vary in infants according to age

• To argue that motor activity in a neonate may be random and unrelated to stimuli

• To explain why a neonate is capable of responding to stimuli only through repetitive movements

• To identify a response that indicates a neonate’s perception of a stimulus

Which of the following is NOT mentioned in paragraph 2 as a problem in using the technique of direct observation?

• It may be difficult for observers to agree on the presence of the degree of a response.

• Infants do not respond well to stimuli presented in an unnatural laboratory setting

• Infant’s responses, which occur quickly and diffusely, are often difficult to measure.

• It is impossible to be certain of the actual cause of an infant’s response.

The word potent in the passage is closest in meaning to

• similar

• common

• powerful

• artificial

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.

• Researchers using observational assessment techniques on infants must not overgeneralize and must base their conclusions on data from many studies.

• On the basis of the data from one or two studies, it seems that some infants develop a particular perceptual ability not observed in others.

• When researchers fail to make generalizations from their studies, their observed data is often inconclusive.

• To use data from one or two studies on infant’s perceptual abilities, it is necessary to use techniques that will provide conclusive evidence.

What is the author’s primary purpose in paragraph 3?

• To explain why researchers must conduct more than one type of study when they are attempting to understand infant perception.

• To point out the strengths and weaknesses of three new methods for quantifying an infant’s reaction to stimuli.

• To describe new techniques for observing infant perception that overcome problems identified in the previous paragraph

• To present and evaluate the conclusions of various studies on infant perception.

The word quantifiable in the passage is closest in meaning to

• visual

• permanent

• measurable

• meaningful

Paragraph 3 mentions all of the following as indications of an infant’s heightened interest in a new stimulus EXCEPT an increase in

• eye movements

• the number of breaths taken

• heart rate

• sucking behavior

According to paragraph 4, which of the following leads to the conclusion that infants are able to differentiate between stimuli in a habituation-dishabituation study?

• The infant displays little change in electrical brain responses.

• Dishabituation occurs with the introduction of a new stimulus.

• Electrical responses in the infant’s brain decline with each new stimulus.

• Habituation is continued with the introduction of a new stimulus.