Nine-month-old Jessie observes an irregularly shaped object placed approximately halfway off the edge of a surface. Adults who view this scene would be surprised that the object does not fall, since its larger side is off the surface. Jessie:
A) also demonstrates surprise.
B) does not demonstrate surprise because she has no understanding of the effects of gravity.
C) does not demonstrate surprise because she attends only to the amount of contact between the object and the surface.
D) does not demonstrate surprise because she attends only to the fact that there is contact between the object and the surface.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research shows that infants as young as Jessie can demonstrate surprise or interest when presented with events that violate their expectations, such as an object not falling off a surface even when its larger side is off the surface. This suggests that infants have some understanding of the effects of gravity and can anticipate how objects should behave in certain situations.

Nine-Month-Old Jessie Observes an Irregularly Shaped Object Placed Approximately Halfway