Babies develop understanding of shapes on their own

November 14, 2009 by Shawn Douglas  
Filed under: Baby Health, News

 

Leave a comment

Babies’ brains are capable of developing shape perception unaided says new research.

baby_playing_with_blocksNew research performed on remote African tribes has shown that babies learn about shapes on their own, not requiring assistance from the outside.

The research, headed by Irving Biederman of the University of Southern California’s College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, found that exposure to regular geometric objects found in developed worlds were unnecessary to understand shape and form.

“In terms of perceiving the world, either genetics or the natural world will give you the right type of experiences,” said Biederman.

The theory that Biederman and his colleagues tested is one stating that the brain has greater levels of sensitivity to “non-accidental” properties than metric properties. In other words, the brain more easily grasps uniform objects than non-uniform objects.

The team tested their theory by seeking out African tribes that haven’t been exposed to Westernization. Going deep into tribal territory, they found tribes like the Himba tribe of northwestern Namibia that had no exposure to uniform, manufactured objects.

One of the experiments asked test subjects to look at two geometric objects and decide which one was an exact match to a third sample object. The non-matching object was always different in non-accidental or metric property. The researchers found that the subjects had no problem matching the objects.

“The experiment offers, to our knowledge, the most rigorous assessment of the effects of exposure to modern artifacts on the representation of shape,” said Biederman.

So, while modern shape holders and sorters may have additional properties of amusement and may increase fine motor skills, their main purpose of teaching shape recognition is definitely now in question.

“Your kids will grow up being able to see shapes just fine without specific training,” said Biederman.

The research was published online by Psychological Science. Print publication is expected this coming winter.

[Post to Twitter]  [Post to Delicious]  [Post to Digg]  [Post to Reddit]  [Post to StumbleUpon] 

Welcome back! If you love Baby Chums, please subscribe to our RSS feed.
Thanks for dropping by and enjoy!


Read More related stories...
Long term relationships = Healthier Babies new study finds
Scientists from Auckland University in New Zealand suggest that women...
Motor skill development in babies linked to learning
The motor skill development of babies has been linked to...
Mozart’s music may help growth of premature babies
The music of Mozart was found to reduce energy use...
Your Ad Here
Bambino Direct

Comments

Tell us what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!





Recent Posts

Kelsey Grammer Expecting Fifth Child with New GirlfriendKelsey Grammer Expecting Fifth Child with New Girlfriend

Actor Kelsey Grammer, 55, confirmed the news that he will be a father for the fifth time next year. The actor is expecting a... »

Halle Berry Voted Hottest Celebrity MomHalle Berry Voted Hottest Celebrity Mom

The readers of askmen.com voted Halle Berry as the hottest celebrity mom or "MILF" according to the actual title of the... »

Peter Andre Planning on Releasing Children’s Book SeriesPeter Andre Planning on Releasing Children’s Book Series

The father of two revealed that he will be publishing a series of children's books. Peter Andre confirmed that he will be... »

Singer Alanis Morissette Announces She is PregnantSinger Alanis Morissette Announces She is Pregnant

Alanis Morissette revealed in the latest issue of US Magazine that she is expecting her first child. The singer didn't... »

Race Car Driver Jeff Gordon Welcomes a SonRace Car Driver Jeff Gordon Welcomes a Son

The NASCAR driver and his wife Ingrid Vandebosch welcomed their second child, a son. Jeff Gordon is now a proud father of a... »

Robbie Williams and Ayda Field Expecting a Baby?Robbie Williams and Ayda Field Expecting a Baby?

Rumors are circulating that Robbie Williams and his new wife Ayda Field are expecting a baby. The couple just married this... »

Lily Allen Keeps it Casual as She Performs Last Gig Before BabyLily Allen Keeps it Casual as She Performs Last Gig Before Baby

Singer Lily Allen kept her performance at Big Chill casual and practical for a woman who is three months pregnant. Unlike... »

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster Expecting Another ChildRod Stewart and Penny Lancaster Expecting Another Child

Rod Stewart is going to be a dad again at the age of 66 as his wife Penny Lancaster is expecting the couple's second child... »

Coco Arquette May Make Big Screen Debut in Scream 4Coco Arquette May Make Big Screen Debut in Scream 4

According to David Arquette who will be reprising his role in the Scream movie with his wife Courtney Cox Arquette, his... »

Amy Poehler Welcomes Second SonAmy Poehler Welcomes Second Son

Actress Amy Poehler and husband Will Arnett welcomed their second son on Friday, August 6th. The former Saturday Night Live... »

    ITN News Entertainment Videos

    Loading...