The influence of stimulus material on attention and performance in the visual expectation paradigm: A longitudinal study with 3- and 6-month-old infants

Abstract

This longitudinal study examined the influence of stimulus material on attention and expectation learning in the visual expectation paradigm. Female faces were used as attention-attracting stimuli, and non-meaningful visual stimuli of comparable complexity (Greebles) were used as low attention-attracting stimuli. Expectation learning performance was operationalized using the average reaction time and number of anticipations. For the measurement of attention, the percentage of trials with on-task attention behavior was calculated. To analyze attention and differences in performance, a total of 108 German infants (3-6 months of age) were assessed. Significant differences were found between the two types of stimuli concerning the infants' rate of attention and anticipations. The results indicate learning material to influence attentional processes and expectation learning.