ABSTRACT
This chapter explores information-processing techniques used to measure the cognitive and perceptual capacities of infants. The ability of infants to detect and abstract information from their environment is called information processing. This can involve memory mechanisms, attention, habituation to stimuli, and conditioning. Habituation and conditioning are basic forms of learning used to measure early infant cognitive skills and have been useful in programming intervention strategies for at-risk infants. Visual recognition memory and the standard-transformation-return paradigm have been used to measure infants' central processing abilities. Classical conditioning and operant conditioning demonstrates with newborns and infants. The Standard-Transformation-Return procedure examines as a measure of infants' responses to sequential visual and auditory events. Infant information-processing procedures hold promise as alternative assessments to traditional developmental assessments. Because they are thought to tap central processing rather than sensorimotor tasks, they may be useful in early identification of cognitive problems.
