Visual Shape Perception in Early Infancy

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Abstract
The ability of young human infants aged 8-17 wk to perceive outline shapes was investigated in 9 experiments using an habituation paradigm. In experiments 1, 2 and 3 contour orientation and angular relationship were varied, in experiments 4 and 5 geometric shape and in experiment 6 figural incompleteness. Results of these size experiments indicated that young infants use relational information to recognize shape. Those models in which shape was coded in terms of edge orientation were not recognized by infants of this age. In experiments 7, 8 and 9 the role of oblique contours and of informational content of a figure for the functioning of spatial orientation as a salient dimension of shape was investigated. Neither of these properties was relevant. It appears unlikely that infants must learn to perceive outline shapes. Infants apparently have an innate capacity to perceive shapes.

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