Baillargeons theory

• baillargeons explanation of early infant abilities 


  theory initially inspired by the research carried out by bower and wishart, which tested piagets idea of object permanence
• baillergeon then looked to design a technique for researching infants mental ability to test piagets theory further- violation of expectations
• violation of expecatations 


  works on the principle that a child will look at things which they do not expect to see for longer than things they do expect to see
• hibituation 


  what researchers use to test violation of expectation

  • repeatidly showing an infant a scene untill they show they are no longer interseted by looking elsewhere, then shown somethign which is seemingly impossible
  • comparison made between the time they look at each scene for
• balliargeons core knowledge theory 


  argues that infants are born with an understanding of the link between objects and what they represent

  helps them understand objects out of sight

  has survival value hence is available from birth
• key study for VOE- baillargeon

  AIM

  • to use VOE technique to demonstrate object permanence in 5 month old infants
• key study for VOE- baillargeon


  METHOD

  • infants were habituated to a screen, whcih rotated in a 180 degree arc like a drawbridge being viewed from straight on
  • then a box was placed behind the screen and infants experienced a possible event and an impossible event
• key study for VOE- baillargeon

  RESULTS

  • researchers found that infants looked at the impossible event for longer
• key study for VOE- baillargeon

  CONCLUSIONS

  • researchers concluded that infants stared at the imposssible event longer as they were suprised by the outcome
  • which would make sense if they possess understanding of the relationship between objects
  • showing object permanence by continuing to stare at hte space where the box had been, seeming to understand that is still does exist
• knowledge about the physical world 


  her research provides some evidance for the concept of core knowledge and supports the idea that object permanence is available to infants younger then which piaget suggested
• 2 ways of approaching baillargeons knowledge about the physical world

  • innate 'fast learning'
  • innate object knowledge
• spelke et al argued for this theory 


  that infants possess innate knowledge of objects in relation to objects

  • these abilities are fundimental to our ability to use depth perspection, which is a complex element of the human visual system
• baillargeon prefers the idea of fast learning over innate object knowledge

  she argues knowledge about the phsyical world is aquired using innate cognition, which helps the infant learn about their environment
• evaluation of baillargeon 


  + through successful replication of her research, the evidance has largely supported the predictions of the core knowledge theory

  -criticisms have been raised for the violation of expectations study conducted by baillargeon