Human Growth and Development

E. Perceptual Development Throughout the Lifespan Perceptual development is the process of refining sensory interpretation across the lifespan that is shaped by biology, environment, and experience. Sensory Development in Infants Newborns use all five of the human senses. They have underdeveloped sensory and perceptual abilities compared to adults but can respond to stimuli like pain and temperature . Since infants can't verbally communicate, researchers believe changes in suckling patterns indicate their reactions to unfamiliar stimuli, with behaviors returning to normal when exposed to familiar stimuli.

Newborn vision and hearing develop more slowly than other senses. ●​ Babies are near-sighted and prefer bright colors and familiar faces. ●​ By 14 weeks, they begin to focus both eyes, creating binocular vision . ●​ By 7-12 months, their vision reaches adult-like clarity.

A fetus can hear its mother’s voice while they are inside the womb. It is interesting to note that newborns can tell the difference between their mothers’ voices and other voices they hear while in the womb. As the hearing continues to develop, infants turn their heads when they hear a noise and focus their eyes on the stimuli (sound). Role of Attention in Perceptual Development Attention is the ability to focus on a person, object, or task , shaping how we process and understand the world. It plays a major role in perceptual development, influencing how infants and children learn from their environment. Newborns have a limited attention span and tend to focus on faces, bright colors, and moving objects. As children grow, their ability to focus improves, allowing them to filter distractions and concentrate on important details. For example, a toddler may struggle to focus in a noisy room, but as they develop, they learn to concentrate on a specific toy or person, even in a distracting environment. This improvement in attention enhances visual, auditory, and tactile processing, supporting learning and cognitive growth. There are several types of attention that play a key role in how we perceive and interact with the world, from filtering out distractions to managing multiple tasks at once.

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