Effect of Viewing Distance on Looking Behavior in Neonates

Abstract

Two studies were conducted to investigate the relationship between the distance of an adult's face from a human newborn and the infant's looking behavior. Study 1 was concerned with how mothers regulate distance while interacting with their babies. 20 mother-infant pairs were filmed in profile and the eye-to-eye distance measured every six sec. The median distance was 22.5 cm, with 80% of the values lying between 16.0 and 27.3 cm. No significant differences in distance were found related to whether the babies had their eyes open or closed or whether they were on their mother's lap or on a diaper-changing table. There were large individual differences in the range of distances the mothers maintained and the frequency of alteration of distance. In Study 2, the visual orientation of 44 newborns was observed under two conditions: (A) 20 cm between faces of experimenter and baby; (B) 40 cm distance. The experimenter was talking to the baby under both conditions. Distance, at least in the range tested, does not appear to have any major influence on the baby's looking behavior, probably because of the immaturity of the newborn's visual system.

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