Question

Need an explanation on the violation-of-expectations method

Answer 1

in Psych

Answer 2

From what I read, this deals with object permanence. In the study I read, infants were tested to see if they were surprised if the laws of space were violated. They did this by putting a box behind a screen that lay flat. The infant would see the box. Then the experimenters raised the screen, blocking vision of the box. Then they moved the screen to the box, touching it, then moving the screen back to the original position.

To the infant this makes sense. The box is there, therefore the screen cannot go there. But all the meanwhile, the box is still hidden from view. But to the infant, it thinks the box is there due to object permanence. This is the possible solution. Then the researchers showed the impossible one:

They would move the screen through where the box was, and would see whether if the infant was surprised or not. If they were, it would indicate that they had some understanding of the position of the box and that the screen couldn't in fact be where the box was (obviously the researchers/experimenters would have moved it but the child didn't know that).

Answer 3

Violating the expectations indicates that there was some understanding of the principle and thus you're surprised that it was broken.

Answer 4

This is the website I checked: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/psychology/testing-infant-knowledge-using-violation-of-expectation-method-psychology-essay.php