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Related Concept Videos

Concepts and Prototypes01:24

Concepts and Prototypes

The human nervous system handles vast amounts of information by translating sensory stimuli into neural impulses, which the brain processes, creating thoughts expressed through language or stored as memories. The brain also synthesizes information from emotions and memories, which significantly influence thoughts and behaviors. This intricate process creates a comprehensive mental picture.
The brain organizes this information using concepts, which are mental categories grouping linguistic data,...
Natural and Artificial Concepts01:24

Natural and Artificial Concepts

In psychology, concepts can be divided into two categories: natural and artificial. Natural concepts are formed through direct or indirect experiences. For example, consider the concept of snow. If you live in a place with regular snowfall, such as Essex Junction, Vermont, you know snow through direct experiences. You’ve seen it fall, touched it, shoveled it, and played in it. You recognize its texture, appearance, and even its smell. In contrast, if you live on an island like Saint Vincent in...
Language Development01:22

Language Development

Children master language quickly and with relative ease, supported by both biological predisposition and reinforcement. B. F. Skinner (1957) proposed that language is learned through reinforcement, while Noam Chomsky (1965) argued that language acquisition mechanisms are biologically determined.
The critical period for language acquisition suggests that the ability to acquire language is at its peak early in life. As people age, this proficiency decreases. Language development begins very...
Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development01:14

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...
The Nativist Approach01:21

The Nativist Approach

The nativist approach to infant cognitive development proposes that infants are born with inherent knowledge structures that allow them to interpret the world almost immediately. This perspective contrasts with earlier developmental theories, such as those proposed by Jean Piaget, which emphasized a more gradual acquisition of cognitive abilities through interaction with the environment. One key concept in this approach is object permanence — the understanding that objects continue to exist...
Self-Concept01:19

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

Can infants' object concepts be trained?

Brian J Scholl1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Yale University, Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. Brian.Scholl@yale.edu

Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|December 14, 2004
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Infant object permanence understanding can be significantly shaped by brief training, challenging nature versus nurture debates. This research highlights the role of learning in early cognitive development.

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Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms
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Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

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Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
05:35

Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization

Published on: April 19, 2017

A View of Their Own: Capturing the Egocentric View of Infants and Toddlers with Head-Mounted Cameras
03:56

A View of Their Own: Capturing the Egocentric View of Infants and Toddlers with Head-Mounted Cameras

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Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms
07:31

Defining the Role Of Language in Infants' Object Categorization with Eye-tracking Paradigms

Published on: February 8, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • Infant Cognition

Background:

  • The origins of object permanence in infancy have been debated for decades.
  • Research has contrasted learning-based explanations with innate contributions.
  • Understanding how infants develop object permanence is crucial for cognitive development theories.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of brief training on infants' object representations.
  • To explore how learning influences the development of object permanence.
  • To offer a new perspective on the nature versus nurture debate in infant cognition.

Main Methods:

  • Infants underwent very brief training periods.
  • Researchers assessed infants' persisting object representations post-training.
  • The study design allowed for the examination of learning's influence.

Main Results:

  • Even minimal training significantly influenced infants' object representations.
  • The findings suggest a substantial role for learning in object permanence development.
  • Object permanence is not solely determined by innate factors.

Conclusions:

  • Brief training can dramatically alter infants' object permanence understanding.
  • This challenges traditional nature versus nurture dichotomies.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand the implications of these findings.