Infants' Reactions to Object Collision on Hit and Miss Trajectories

• Published in: Infancy Vol. 12; no. 1; pp. 105 - 118
• Main Authors: Schmuckler, Mark. A., Collimore, Lisa M., Dannemiller, James L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2007
• ISSN: 1525-0008; 1532-7078
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-7078.2007.tb00236.x

This experiment investigated the impact of the path of approach of an object, from head on versus from the side, and the type of imminent contact with that object, a hit versus a miss, on young infants' perceptions of object looming. Consistent with earlier studies, we found that 4‐ to 5‐month‐old infants do indeed discriminate hits versus misses. We also found a novel result regarding the path of the approaching object. The discrimination of hits from misses was modified by whether or not the approaching objects passed in front of the infants' faces; objects crossing the line of sight evoked more frequent defensive reactions than objects that did not cross the line of sight, regardless of whether or not such objects were on a collision course. These findings are discussed within the context of the development of visually guided locomotion and linear versus nonlinear paths of translation through the world.