In a groundbreaking study conducted by Cornell researchers, a remote-controlled car was designed to investigate the importance of contingency in early development. Contingency refers to caregivers‘ responses close in time to a baby’s behavior, which plays a crucial role in how infants begin learning language and social norms. The study revealed fascinating insights into how babies interact with their environment and form expectations based on responsiveness.
The research involved deploying a remote-controlled car that would approach and produce speech sounds in response to babies‘ babbling. Within just 10 minutes, the babies formed strong expectations that the car would respond to their vocalizations. When the car stopped responding, the babies exhibited bursts of babbling and play directed at the car, demonstrating a stronger reaction compared to interactions with people. This highlights the significance of contingency in early development and how babies are highly flexible in what they can learn from responsive interactions, even with non-human entities like machines.
The findings challenge previous assumptions by some developmental psychologists that babies rely on innate, genetically based knowledge, such as face recognition, to learn. Instead, the study suggests that babies are inherently attuned to timing and responsiveness, with the world playing a crucial role in driving their learning process. According to Michael Goldstein, the director of the B.A.B.Y. Laboratory at Cornell University, babies are natural learning machines, and it is up to adults to provide the right kind of responsiveness to facilitate their learning.
The study, titled „Contingency Enables the Formation of Social Expectations About an Artificial Agent,“ was published in the journal Infancy. The research team, led by Goldstein and doctoral student Julia Venditti, included collaborators who investigated the role of timing in caregiver interactions and introduced an artificial social partner – the remote-controlled car – to study babies‘ responses.
Over 60 babies aged 7 to 8 months participated in the study, interacting with either the car or an unfamiliar person. Some infants experienced contingent responses from the car or person when they babbled, while others received responses on a random schedule. After a period of interaction, the car or person stopped responding, leading to an „extinction burst“ of vocalizations from the babies. Interestingly, the babies playing with the responsive car exhibited more directed attention towards it, showcasing their adaptability to contingent interactions.
The researchers believe that the plasticity observed in babies, which allows them to learn from contingent responses, is a critical advantage in early development. This adaptability may diminish as babies gain language proficiency, but it offers valuable insights into foundational learning mechanisms. The study’s findings could also inform research on babies at risk for autism, who may benefit from more predictable response rates.
Overall, the study sheds light on the importance of timely responses in driving babies‘ learning and underscores the role of contingency in shaping early development. By understanding how babies form expectations and learn from their interactions, researchers can gain valuable insights into the complex process of infant development. The study opens up new avenues for exploring learning mechanisms in babies and highlights the significance of responsive caregiving in fostering early learning experiences.