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Published on: May 15, 2019
A longitudinal study of visual expectation and reaction time in the first year of life
Susan A Rose1, Judith F Feldman, Jeffery J Jankowski
1Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Kennedy Center, Bronx, NY 10461, USA. srose@aecom.yu.edu
Insights
Infant visual processing speed increases significantly from 5 to 12 months. However, the study found limited evidence for developing anticipatory behaviors in infants, with findings consistent across term and preterm groups.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Infant visual attention
Background:
- Understanding developmental changes in infant visual processing is crucial.
- Reaction times (RT) and anticipatory behaviors are key indicators of cognitive development.
- Previous research has used varying cut-points to define anticipatory versus reactive saccades.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the developmental trajectory and stability of visual expectation and reaction times (RT) in infants.
- To compare these developmental changes in term and preterm infants.
- To investigate the impact of different cut-points on classifying anticipatory behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study tracking infants at 5, 7, and 12 months.
- Measurement of visual expectation and reaction times (RT) using saccade analysis.
- Application of traditional (200-ms) and alternative (150-ms) cut-points for saccade classification.
Main Results:
- Reaction times (RT) and variability significantly decreased with age.
- The use of a 200-ms cut-point suggested an increase in anticipations, which disappeared with a 150-ms cut-point.
- Infants with faster RTs showed better attention and less response variability.
- Developmental stability was modest between adjacent age points but not significant from 5 to 12 months.
- Findings were comparable between term and preterm infants.
Conclusions:
- Infant visual processing speed markedly increases with age.
- Evidence for increasing anticipatory behaviors is equivocal and dependent on classification methods.
- Attentiveness and processing speed are interrelated in developing infants.
- Developmental patterns are similar for term and preterm infants, suggesting resilience in preterm development.
Abstract:
Developmental change and stability of visual expectation and reaction times (RT) were examined at 5, 7, and 12 months in a longitudinal sample of term and preterm infants (birthweight <1,750 g). Using the traditional 200-ms cut-point to separate anticipatory from reactive saccades, RTs (and their standard deviations) declined markedly over age, whereas anticipations increased. Those infants who had faster RTs were more likely to anticipate upcoming events and were more attentive (fewer trials off-task and less response variability). Crossage stability was modest for most measures from 5 to 7 and 7 to 12 months, but rarely significant from 5 to 12 months. When the cut-point was lowered to 150 ms (to accommodate recent concerns that the higher cut-point may misclassify some true RTs as anticipations), the age-related increase in anticipations disappeared. Thus, although the results indicate marked increases in processing speed with age, evidence for increasing anticipations is equivocal. Findings were similar for preterm and term infants.
