The effects of high and low stimulation on visual attention and preference for novelty in infants

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Boston UniversityPLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you.The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of varying levels of stimulation on the subsequent attentive behaviors and visual preferences of four months old. Based on experimental results of studies of exploratory behavior in animals and infants as well as studies of sensory deprivation, the following hypotheses were proposed: 1) Infants will attend more to visual stimuli following a period of low stimulation than following a period of high stimulation. 2) Infants will attend more to a novel stimulus than a familiar one following a period of high stimulation. Furthermore, the study aimed at determining whether the stimulus preferences which emerged following high stimulation were altered following a period of low stimulation. [TRUNCATED]2031-01-0