Langlois+-+Period+1


 * LANGLOIS ~ INFANT FACIAL ATTRACTIVENESS**

- Pictures used in the study (white women, white men, black women, and babies) were selected from a database. - Pictures were judged either attractive or non-attractive. Faces were rated on a 1-5 Likert style scale by 40 undergrad male and female students.
 * RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION:**

- One aim of the study was to test the nature versus nurture debate on infant development. -
 * AIMS:**

- Infants were from the UT nursery. All infants were from mid-upper social class; nearly all white; from the same nursery. - There were 60 babies in the study; there was nearly a 35-25 split between male and female. - Infants were an average age of 6 months and 6 days. All infants were tested within 3 weeks of their 6 month birthday. - Babies were excluded from the study if they were not healthy, and full-term babies. One child was excluded from the study because she was born premature; a few others were excluded because they were fussy.
 * PARTICIPANTS:**

- Babies were seated on their mother's lap; mother was blindfolded. - Babies were approximately 35 cm from the screen. - Independent observers measured interest by where baby gazed. Observers could not see the pictures that appeared on screen. - Babies attention was brought to the screen by a light and a buzzing sound; then two faces in color appeared side by side; one attractive, one non-attractive. - Each trial lasted 10 seconds. - The faces were presented in a right-left position, then a left-right position to prevent infant side preference. - Slides were always paired within sex; so a baby was never going to look at a male and a female on the same slide. - The babies rested between trials; after 8 trials they were given a 5-10 minute break to ensure they were not becoming fatigued.
 * PROCEDURE:**

- Quantitative: results were coded by observers. - Qualitative: mothers were rated upon their attractiveness to see if there was a bias; did baby gaze at people who looked like their mother?
 * DATA COLLECTION:**

- Babies gazed at attractive faces longer than unattractive faces. - Mother's attractiveness did not matter.
 * RESULTS:**

- Study supports nature side of debate. - Langlois said that the results of the study allow us to infer that there is a prototypical face hardwired into our psyche before we have a chance to en culture ourselves into society.
 * CONCLUSIONS:**

- High level of control. - Large sample with a good gender split. - Kept on parent's lap so the baby would stay comfortable. - Picky about the participant group; eliminated fussy, and or premature babies.
 * STRENGTHS:**

- Unnatural activity for baby.
 * WEAKNESSES:**

- Low; lab study - Babies can't communicate their exact feelings about what they see; although this is why they used the gazing method.
 * ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY:**