EFFECTS OF HAPTIC CUES ON VISUAL RECOGNITION MEMORY IN FULLTERM AND PRETERM INFANTS

This study investigated the effects of haptic exploration on visual recognition memory in fullterm and preterm infants, 6 and 12 months of age. Infants were given tasks in which they only viewed an object during familiarization or in which they touched and manipulated it as well. Visual recognition memory was assessed by the paired comparison technique. The results show that contrary to theoretical expectation, manipulation of objects did not enhance visual knowledge about shape. Instead, manipulation actually interfered with performance. Prematures showed developmental lags both in the ability to process exclusively visual information and in the ability to deal with haptic and visual cues simultaneously. These findings imply that there are cognitive differences between high-risk and low-risk infants which can be detected within the first year of life. © 1979 Ablex Publishing Corporation.