Young infants’ perception of the trajectories of two- and three-dimensional objects

We investigated oculomotor anticipations in 4-month-old infants as they viewed center-occluded object trajectories. In two experiments, we examined performance in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) dynamic occlusion displays and in an additional 3D condition with a smiley face as the moving target stimulus. Rates of anticipatory eye movements were not facilitated by 3D displays or by the (presumably) more salient smiley face relative to the 2D condition. However, latencies of anticipations were reduced, implying that 3D visual information may have supported formation of more robust mental representations of the moving object. Results are interpreted in a context of perceptual constraints on developing cognitive capacities during early infancy.

► We recorded 4-month-olds’ eye movements as they viewed dynamic object trajectories.
► We provided a direct comparison of performance in 2D and 3D viewing conditions.
► 3D testing conditions led to improvements in anticipation latency.
► Results bear implications for infants’ depth perception and object representations.
► Results are interpreted in light of the competence/performance distinction.