mouse <int> | choice <chr> |
|---|---|
| 1 | incorrect |
| 2 | correct |
| 3 | correct |
| 4 | correct |
| 5 | incorrect |
| 6 | incorrect |
| 7 | incorrect |
| 8 | incorrect |
| 9 | correct |
| 10 | incorrect |
Math 132B
Class 9
Infant Cognition Study
A study performed in 2007 by the Infant Cognition Center at the Yale University presented 16 10-months old infants with a puppet show depicting a character trying to climb a hill.
- In one situation, another character helped the climber ascend the hill.
- In the other situation, a different character pushed the climber down the hill, hindering it and preventing it from ascending.
The infants were then asked to select one of the two characters (triangle and square) to play with, and their choice was recorded.
Out of the 16 participating infants, 14 picked the friendly character.
Possible Reasons
-
Confounding variables
- Controlled: size, signaling (presenter or parents), …
- Randomized: color, shape, …
- Not handled: direction of motion, noise, …
Random choice (this includes the randomized confounders!)
Actual recognition of and preference for helpfulness
How would the results look like if the infants were choosing randomly?
Can mice learn colors?
Can mice recognize and learn which color button to push to get a treat?
Procedure
50 mice are repeatedly presented a choice of 5 colored buttons. Each mouse has a randomly assigned color, and receives a treat every time it presses the button of that color. After an initial training period, the mice are tested to see if they remember and recognize their assigned color. The order of the colors on the buttons is randomized for each of the mice. During the test, researchers record for each mouse whether it pressed the correct button or not.
Data
Results
- 19 mice chose correctly
- 31 mice chose incorrectly
What does it mean?
Math 132B Class 9