From the moment a child is born their perceptual skills are working and evolving. Infants and toddlers are constantly exploring the world around them and the objects within their environmental setting. As young children engage with objects they are using their senses to understand, organize, and take in new information. An infant may demonstrate their perception by turning their head, kicking their feet, or reaching out when presented with different visual or auditory experiences. According to the California Department of Education (2014), “Perception and motor action play a key role in children’s experiences and psychological processes (para.10). Young children may perceive objects differently based on how they look, feel, or sound. As a child’s
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In addition, studies show that patterns of attention to novelty stimuli are not straightforward, especially during infancy (Mather, 2013, para.2). The moderate-discrepancy hypothesis seeks to understand the relationship between familiar and novel stimuli. This theory also suggests that moderate stimulation is a key factor in holding an infant’s attention. Since infants develop at different rates and information increases with experiences. It is important to understand that moderate stimulation is opt to change as the child grows and develops. According to Kidd, Piantadosi, and Aslin (2010), “The moderate-discrepancy theory states that infants will preferentially attend to stimuli that are most distinct from the representations they already possess” (p.2). Thus, an infant’s existing representations are estimated to account for the preferences in which their attention is directed towards. Rather than an infant engaging with objects that are too complicated or too simple their attention is focused through a happy medium. Overall, the moderate-discrepancy is defined by the preference of moderately complex objects and moderate …show more content…
With that being said, educational items should not be too simple or complex. Instead, they should have varying levels in which the child is able to continually gain new knowledge and move forward to the next level. Thus, when a child’s ability to deal with complexity increases, they then prefer more complex objects and materials (Siegler & Alibali, 2005, p.151). The moderate-discrepancy hypothesis also predicts that educational objects or materials should also use each of the three sensory modalities to moderate the amount of stimulation. For example, objects or materials can moderately utilize color, sound, and touch to attain the attention of a young child. While analyzing and describing these predictions, I have determined that language, books, blocks, patterns, magnets, shape sorters, and stacking toys are all educational materials that are most likely to hold a child’s attention. Each of these educational materials can be used at varying levels and are able to use each of the three sensory modalities to moderate the amount of stimulation that the child receives with these materials even as the child grows and
In addition, studies show that patterns of attention to novelty stimuli are not straightforward, especially during infancy (Mather, 2013, para.2). The moderate-discrepancy hypothesis seeks to understand the relationship between familiar and novel stimuli. This theory also suggests that moderate stimulation is a key factor in holding an infant’s attention. Since infants develop at different rates and information increases with experiences. It is important to understand that moderate stimulation is opt to change as the child grows and develops. According to Kidd, Piantadosi, and Aslin (2010), “The moderate-discrepancy theory states that infants will preferentially attend to stimuli that are most distinct from the representations they already possess” (p.2). Thus, an infant’s existing representations are estimated to account for the preferences in which their attention is directed towards. Rather than an infant engaging with objects that are too complicated or too simple their attention is focused through a happy medium. Overall, the moderate-discrepancy is defined by the preference of moderately complex objects and moderate …show more content…
With that being said, educational items should not be too simple or complex. Instead, they should have varying levels in which the child is able to continually gain new knowledge and move forward to the next level. Thus, when a child’s ability to deal with complexity increases, they then prefer more complex objects and materials (Siegler & Alibali, 2005, p.151). The moderate-discrepancy hypothesis also predicts that educational objects or materials should also use each of the three sensory modalities to moderate the amount of stimulation. For example, objects or materials can moderately utilize color, sound, and touch to attain the attention of a young child. While analyzing and describing these predictions, I have determined that language, books, blocks, patterns, magnets, shape sorters, and stacking toys are all educational materials that are most likely to hold a child’s attention. Each of these educational materials can be used at varying levels and are able to use each of the three sensory modalities to moderate the amount of stimulation that the child receives with these materials even as the child grows and