INFANTS FREE ENTRY INTO A NEW ENVIRONMENT

The 10-month-old infant's free entry into a new environment was investigated by varying the number and location of objects (toys) in it, as well as the time when they appeared. Each infant was placed with his mother in a small room and allowed access to a larger room (the new environment). In Exp. 1, the effect of a toy in the larger room was compared with that of no toy on the infant's leaving his mother and entering the room. All Ss entered the larger room whether it was empty or contained a toy. Those without a toy spent more time with the mother and incidental objects; in contrast, the other Ss played with the toy. In Exp. 2, with the same Ss, the effect of one toy was compared with that of three toys on the behavior of infants who previously had a toy and those who previously had none. Those who were given toys for the first time entered sooner, stayed in the larger room longer, and played with the toys more than Ss who had previously had a toy. Three toys increased the time Ss spent away from the mother, the distance they traveled, and the time they played with the toys in the larger room. The findings show that the number and location of objects, as well as the time of their appearance, controlled the infant's behavior in the new environment and call attention to stimuli that lead the infant from his mother. © 1969.