Sensitivity to angular constraints in infants' causal perception
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: It has been established that infants are sensitive to certain features of launching events (such as contact causality). We aim to investigate whether infants are sensitive to Newtonian constraints on launching events, particularly limitations on the angle of B’s movement trajectory relative to A’s and whether this sensitivity can be detected using pupillometry. This eye-tracking study investigates infants’ reaction to events that either violate physical regularities that are inherent to launching events or not. More specifically, infants will be familiarized with videos of a regular launching event (where A rolls towards B, and upon contact, A stops and B starts moving). At test, infants are shown four videos of manipulated launching events. In the 0° condition, the launching event is rotated compared to the regular condition. In the 90° condition, ball A moves towards B, A stops and B starts moving at a 90° angle from A, which is physically impossible.
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W7166310305
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: