TEMPORAL ORGANIZATION OF BEHAVIOR IN PRETERM AND FULLTERM INFANTS

Abstract

Manipulative exploration from 6 to 12 months is an important means by which infants gather information about the objective world. We observed 18 low birthweight preterms of 7 mos. corrected age and 23 normal fullterms of 7 mos. as they responded to 6 widely different novel objects. Dependent measures were "examining" or intent scrutiny of the object along with manipulation; mouthing;and banging of the object. Latencies from the start of the trial to the first episode of each behavior and duration of behavior were scored reliably. Analysis of latencies showed that all behaviors were well differentiated in the fullterms, who examined before they mouthed and mouthed before they banged. The preterms showed no differentiation at all. Examining, therefore, has temporal priority for the fullterms but not the preterms. As a group, the preterms examined significantly less; also, for them there was no change in duration of examining over time, while for the fullterms, examining decreased as the object became more familiar. Sensory and motor deficits were ruled out as an explanation of the preterms' performance. The results suggest that the preterms were either less quick to detect that there was something about the object to be examined or took longer to organize an appropriate response to novelty. The value of such observations is supported by the fact that duration of examining at 7 mos. and Bayley Mental Development Index (MDI) at 24 mos. was more highly related (.69, p<.01) than 7 mo. MDI and 24 mo. MDI (.31, ns). Also, since examining at 7 mos. was not related to 7 mo. MDI (.0), it reflects a process not tapped by the Bayley.

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