Preferences of infants for regular and distorted facial stimuli

Kagan (1970a) and Lewis (1969) have proposed that infant preferences for regular and distorted face stimuli are determined by schema development. In order to test the schema model's predictions of infant preferences, changes in the methodological and statistical procedures of past research are necessary. Infants 3-14 months of age were tested for facial preferences using an operant response. The Coombs analysis showed that the predicted age changes in preferences for facial organization were not found. The preference data were interpreted as being based on stimulus variables other than the realism variables hypothesized by schema-model theorists.