Studies of infants' reactions to physically possible and physically impossible events indicated that infants __________.
A) were equally surprised by both sorts of events, indicating that they had no idea that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time
B) were more surprised by impossible events, indicating that they understood that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time
C) were equally uninterested in both possible and impossible events, indicating that they saw the world as a place in which the basic relationships between objects could change from moment to moment
D) showed more of an interest in the possible event, presumably because it was familiar

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that infants are more surprised by physically impossible events than physically possible events, indicating that they have some understanding of basic physical principles such as object permanence and that two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Option A is incorrect because infants do show a preference for physically impossible events, indicating that they do have some basic understanding of physical principles. Option C is also incorrect because infants do not see the world as a place where relationships between objects can change randomly. Option D is not supported by research as infants tend to show more interest in novel or unexpected events, regardless of whether they are possible or impossible.

Studies of Infants' Reactions to Physically Possible and Physically Impossible