Infant Assessment by M. Virginia Wyly

Author:M. Virginia Wyly [Wyly, M. Virginia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780367316266
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2019-08-28T00:00:00+00:00

Standard-Transformation-Return Procedure

The Standard-Transformation-Return procedure was designed to test infants’ information-processing ability during a sequential auditory or visual event (Zelazo 1979). In the “standard” phase, a given event is repeated in order for the infant to form an expectancy for the event. The event is usually either auditory or visual. An example of a visual event is the car-doll sequence. Here, a small car is rolled down a ramp and pushes over a Styrofoam doll at the bottom of the ramp. The “transformation” phase presents the infant with a slightly discrepant event. The toy car is rolled down the ramp, but the doll does not fall over. This is repeated for three or four trials, and then the car rolls down the incline and again knocks down the doll. The reappearance of the standard is called the “return” phase.

In a given STR test, five dynamic sequential events are presented—three auditory and two visual stimuli. An example of an auditory sequence is the repetition of a short phrase such as “Wave bye-bye.” This is repeated several times, and after several trials, the phrase changes to “Throw me a kiss.” After several trials, the infant again hears the original phrase.

The procedure takes place in a darkened theater, with the infant sitting on the parent’s lap and facing a small lit stage. Observers watch and code the infant’s responses and behaviors. The infant’s capacity to respond to and process the sensory input is measured via behavioral and psychophysiological responses. The speed of the processing of the visual and auditory information is measured in the STR paradigm. Clusters of behaviors shown to reliably signal recognition of discrepant events are recorded (Reznick and Kagan 1982; Zelazo et al. 1974). Behavioral measures include pointing toward the stage, vocalizations, smiling, turning to the parent, clapping, and pointing. Searching behavior during presentation of an auditory sequence is assessed by noting eye widening, head movement, and quieting. Heart rate is also measured through an electrocardiogram (EKG). From the infant’s pattern of behavioral and physiological responses to the events in the test episode, information-processing abilities are inferred. In the cardoll sequence, for example, the standard trials allow the infant to watch a complex visual event. The transformation trials present discrepant information, whereas the return trials provide the opportunity for the infant to “re-member” the original event, that is, the car rolling down the ramp and knocking over the doll. An infant watching the return trials might smile, vocalize, and show a heart-rate deceleration. The use of multiple response measures expands the opportunity to assess different styles of recognition of an event. By observing and measuring infants’ responses in this procedure, it is possible to obtain recognition measures from infants and young children with handicapping conditions that might limit their responses on traditional infant tests. For example, an infant boy with severe cerebral palsy might smile, vocalize, move, and show a heart-rate change when observing the third presentation of the car sequence, indicating that he “solved” the puzzle.

An experimental validation of the

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