Novelty, attention, and challenges for developmental psychology

Abstract

In this brief essay, I seek to demonstrate the significance of exploratory behavior for understanding cognitive development. Historically, organisms were thought to act solely in the service of achieving biologically significant goals, such as satisfying thirst, hunger, and reproductive drives. However, it became apparent that both animals and humans engage in behavior where the adaptive goal is unclear (see Hunt, 1963, 1965). With no obvious external target, this activity is best described as being intrinsically motivated, and often directed toward the unknown and the unexpected (Kagan, 2002). Hence novelty, the discrepancy between what is known and what is discovered, can elicit activity and exploration of the environment.

What is the relevance to developmental process? Attention to novelty plays a seemingly simple role in learning and development, directing the senses toward what is as yet unknown. Yet, research shows that patterns of attention to novelty are not straightforward, particularly during infancy. There is considerable evidence that attention is sometimes biased toward familiarity, rather than novelty. Unlike our understanding of novelty preference, we struggle to understand when and why familiarity preferences occur. Below I briefly review this area of research and illustrate how this basic aspect of learning continues to puzzle developmental psychologists.