RoveeCollierStudies

Summary

Recent experiments with three-month-old infants reveal surprising cognitive abilities, showing that babies are more human and aware from birth than previously thought. Infancy researchers Carolyn Rovee-Collier and Peggy Borsa demonstrate that infants actively engage with their surroundings. In an experiment, babies learn to control a mobile by kicking, showing that they can recognize the effects of their actions and repeat activities they enjoy. This research challenges earlier beliefs, such as John B. Watson's view, that infants are less developed until they speak or move, emphasizing the complex learning abilities in early infancy.

Takeaways

• 👶 Recent experiments with three-month-olds show that babies have a surprisingly complex mind at a very early age.
• 👨‍🔬 Infancy researchers like Carolyn Rovee-Collier challenge the notion that babies are like rats until they're eight or nine months old.
• 👶 Babies exhibit very human traits from the moment they're born, contrary to earlier beliefs.
• 🏠 Researchers Rovee-Collier and Peggy Borsa visit homes to conduct experiments on infants' learning and behavior.
• 🧠 John B. Watson's work shaped earlier attitudes toward infants, but new research suggests a different understanding of their capabilities.
• 👣 In one experiment, a baby's foot is attached to a ribbon that controls a mobile, showing that babies can learn cause-and-effect relationships.
• 📈 The baby's rate of kicking doubles once they realize their actions control the mobile, making them active participants in their environment.
• 👶 The research demonstrates that even young infants can learn and repeat actions they find enjoyable.
• 👨‍👧 Some parents, particularly fathers, think infants only become 'people' when they begin to speak, but this research shows actions can speak louder than words.
• 👁 From birth, babies have reflexes and perceptual preferences, but they also learn to construct and repeat activities that please them.

Q & A

What was revealed by recent experiments with three-month-olds?

Recent experiments revealed that even at three months, infants exhibit surprisingly complex cognitive abilities.

What common belief about infants did the experiments challenge?

The experiments challenged the belief that babies are like rats until they are eight or nine months old, showing that infants are more 'human' from the moment they are born.

Who are the researchers mentioned in the script?

The researchers mentioned are Carolyn Rovee-Collier and her assistant, Peggy Borsa.

What earlier research shaped previous attitudes about infants?

John B. Watson's work helped shape the attitudes of an earlier generation toward infants.

What is the experiment setup described in the script involving Martin?

Martin's foot is attached by a ribbon to a stand, and later, the ribbon is connected to a mobile. His kicking increases when he realizes he can control the mobile’s movement.

What does the experiment reveal about the infant's interaction with the world?

The experiment reveals that infants can actively engage with and control their environment, demonstrating a sense of agency.

What was observed with the second infant, Michael, during the experiment?

Michael explored the ribbon even before it was attached to the mobile, showing curiosity and engagement, which Carolyn Rovee-Collier described as giving it 'the good old college try.'

How do some parents, especially fathers, view infant development?

Some parents, particularly fathers, tend to believe that infants only become 'people' when they begin to speak.

What behavior did Michael exhibit when controlling the mobile?

Michael focused on moving only the foot that made the mobile move, indicating that he had learned to control the visual outcome of his actions.

What does the experiment suggest about infants' learning abilities from birth?

The experiment suggests that from birth, infants start learning through reflexes and perceptual preferences, and they begin to repeat activities they find pleasing, demonstrating early learning and control over their environment.