Study Shows How Surprises Help Infants Learn

The red-and-blue ball rolls down a ramp and, thanks to a little bit of trickery, seems to pass right through a purple wall. The 11-month-old girl watching the demonstration appears surprised, then grasps the ball and bangs it on a table, testing whether it is actually solid. The unexpected event motivated the baby to learn. Researchers on Thursday reported a series of experiments that demonstrated that babies actively sought to learn when they witnessed something surprising and were...

© La Voix de l'Amérique - vendredi 3 avril 2015