Certificate In Psychology (CPSY) Practice Exam

Fantz's early studies on face perception revealed that newborns:

1. Had a learned preference for human faces.

2. Could not distinguish between jumbles and schematic faces.

3. Preferred to look at a jumbled face.

4. Preferred to look at a schematic human face.

The correct answer is: Preferred to look at a schematic human face.

Fantz's early studies on face perception demonstrated that newborns possess an innate preference for certain visual stimuli, particularly human faces, over other nonsocial stimuli. The finding that they preferred to look at schematic human faces highlights the importance of face-like configurations in attracting infants' attention. Schematic faces, which are simplified representations of human features, still retain enough of the structural characteristics of a face to engage newborns visually. This preference suggests an early developmental predisposition towards social stimuli, indicating that even at a very young age, infants may have an inclination to engage with and recognize human facial structures. This innate ability is crucial for social development and communication as they grow. The other options do not align with these findings: for instance, a learned preference would imply that prior experience is necessary, which contradicts the concept of an innate preference observed in newborns. Additionally, the inability to distinguish between jumbles and schematic faces or a preference for jumbled faces does not reflect the evidence from Fantz's work.