Multiple dimension processing by newborns

Abstract

Newborn looking toward novel stimuli containing a single or two novel dimensions was assessed in two studies. In Study 1, newborns were habituated to a visual stimulus containing stimulus movement and line orientation information. Following habituation, stimuli containing two novel dimensions were attended to more than stimuli containing a single novel dimension. It was also demonstrated that newborns detect stimulus movement changes. In Study 2, stimuli containing novel colour and line orientation information, following habituation, were attended to across three test trials more than stimuli containing a novel colour only. Colour discrimination was also demonstrated. It was concluded that newborns appear to attend to stimuli containing two novel dimensions differently than those containing a single novel dimension. It was suggested that newborns employ an analytic mode of processing to detect novel dimensions. Further research is required to verify this conclusion and to determine what component is first attended to.