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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
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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
Understanding Object Exploration: The Role of Temperament Early in Life
Kaylin E Hill1, Lauren Malachowski2, Amy Work Needham2
1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
Summary
Infant temperament influences object exploration. Highly active infants explore objects faster, while those with high positive and negative affect engage more in fine motor exploration.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Behavior
Background:
- Object exploration is crucial for infant learning and development.
- Understanding factors influencing exploration is key to supporting cognitive growth.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between infant temperament and object exploration behaviors.
- To identify how specific temperamental traits predict patterns of exploration.
Main Methods:
- Assessed object exploration in two infant samples (6- and 24-month-olds) during lab-based free play.
- Coded observed exploratory behaviors and linked them to parent-reported temperamental characteristics.
Main Results:
- Infants with higher temperamental surgency showed a faster pace of object exploration.
- Specific temperament clusters (high activity, high positive/negative affect) were associated with increased fine motor exploration.
Conclusions:
- Infant temperament significantly shapes exploratory behavior.
- Temperamental traits provide insights into individual differences in how infants engage with objects.
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