Mccrink And Wynn's Theory

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An experiment was performed to examine the age at which infants recognize certain outcomes as impossible. Five-month old infants were tested in the procedure depicted in Figure 1. 3a. The five steps consist of: First, both objects are put into the box while being presented to the five-month old. Second, the objects are hidden by a screen. Third, an empty hand enters behind the screen. Fourth, the hand leaves with an object in its hand. Lastly, the screen is dropped, revealing either the scenario with both objects are present or the scenario in which there is only one object present. 3b. This experiment involves two conditions, both the possible and impossible outcome. In this experiment the impossible outcome is the experimental condition…show more content…
The results bear strongly on the experimental hypothesis. 4a. Piaget’s theory stated that infants are not born with the natural ability of distinguishing number nor are they born with the ability of noting the difference between addition and subtraction. Piaget also believed that because object permance is absent in infants, infants would not be able to tell difference between the presence of an object or its absence in an scenario like the one presented in experiment above, where there are two outcomes- the impossible or posible outcome. On the other hand, McCrink and Wynn’s theory believed that infants were born with the natural ability to understand numbers and basic mathematical computation such as addition and subtraction.They theorize that infant’s would use an object tracking system which only extended up to the number 4 ,and by the use of a representation system based on magnitude, infants would be able to determine what would happen to the larger nuumber by means of addition and subtraction. 4b. An outcome of the current experiment is that the infants were not able to dishabituate to either outcomes due to Piget’s theory that infants do not possess object permanence. Because of this infants are not able to distinguish the presence or absense of an object and reacting to either outcomes. An outcome that would support the alternative hypothesis is if the infants only demonstrated dishabituation towards the wrong results, which would prove that McCrink and Wynn’s theory correct, demonstrating that an infant does have the natural ability maintain focus on an item, which will then help the infant determine the correct
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