Question

explain the Visual Cliff research and what it showed us about development.

typed answer please.

Answer 1

Visual cliff research is aimed to analyze the "depth perception " of the infants. It was developed by psychologists E.J Gibson and R.D Walk. They both were interested in learning that the child's ability to percieve depth was an innate behaviour or a learned one . In earleir studies it was revealed that infants even before they learn to crawl respond to depth cues. These cues assist people to detect depth in a visual way. There are two type of cues monocular or binocular cues. The earlier version of test included a visual cliif made of plexiglass supported by a foot. On one side of the plexiglass fabric is pressed and the same fabric was also laid down on the floor. It creates an illusion of a cliff .

HOW THE TEST WORKS

In this test a child is placed on the one side of the platform and the parents or  the caregiver stands on the other side of the platfrom. Basic assumption behind this test was if the child has an innate depth perception then he or she would hesitate to crawl back to the caregiver and also there was one more assumption that infants whi lacked depth perception will crawl back to care givers without any reluctance. The conclusion of the test was the Infants develop the depth perception when they start to crawl . It got developed with time when they come across obstacles like bumps, falls ,ups and downs .

CONCLUDED RESULTS AND MODERN DAY RESEARCH

It was initially assumed that babies are less than 3 or 4 motnths old do not develop depth perception. It was related and visual maturity and babies who are around 8 months lod can see the cliff. But the present day research has shown that young infants who are three months old can see the cliff when they are placed over an edge. It result in their heart rate and breath rate . The question arises here that if the infants can see the cliif why they are still crawling. The answer to this that infants dont know the consequences of falling they gain this experience by falling , bumping into the obstacles . Also latest researches  have concluded that when infants avoid the cliff it is because they think they are not physically capable of crawling across.