In infant looking studies, what indicates that a baby has noticed a change after habituation?

• A. Decreased looking time
• B. Increased looking time
• C. No response
• D. Crying after change

Answer: (B)

In habituation studies with infants, the key indicator that they’ve noticed a change is a rebound in attention to the new or altered stimulus. After an infant has been exposed long enough to the original stimulus so their looking time declines (habituation), presenting a changed stimulus tests whether they detect the difference. If they do notice the change, their interest returns and they look longer again, showing dishabituation. This increased looking time signals that the infant perceives the change as new or different from what they’ve learned to expect. Decreased looking time would just reflect continued habituation or fatigue, not detection of the change. Crying after the change isn’t the standard measure for this detection; it’s the renewed visual attention that demonstrates noticing the difference.