Infants' attention to stationary and moving objects at different distances

Abstract

Fixation duration of moving and stationary patterned cylinders was observed in 16 two‐month old and 16 four‐month old infants. Object‐observer distances were 30, 50, 70 and 90 cm. Younger infants looked longer than older infants at all distances in both movement conditions, and moving objects were fixated longer than stationary ones. While fixation duration of stationary objects was inversely related to distance, thus confirming earlier observations, that of moving objects was not. Response decrement over trials was exhibited only by the older infants for the moving cylinder. This decrement was not differentially associated with either a real size constant condition or a retinal size constant condition. These results suggest that the visual field of infants is more extensive for moving objects and that size constancy is demonstrated neither for stationary nor moving objects.