Effects of differential experience on infants' performance in a Piagetian Stage IV object-concept task

Examined the effects of differential experiences on Piaget's finding that infants in Stage IV of object-concept development were unable to find an object they saw hidden at a 2nd position (B) after finding it earlier at the 1st position (A) of hiding. 42 7.5-10.5 mo. old infants, assigned to 1 of 3 equated groups, were observed playing a 2-position hidden-object game. Ss who had experience reaching and finding an object at the A position made longer error runs at this position than Ss who had little searching experience at A or Ss who had experience observing objects hidden at A but no experience searching. Results are interpreted to support and extend previous observations and explanations of Stage IV of object-concept development. (15 ref.)