What does the visual cliff experiment test in infants?

The visual cliff experiment is a classic psychological study designed to investigate how infants perceive depth. In this experiment, an apparatus creates the illusion of a drop-off, allowing researchers to assess whether infants can perceive the difference in depth between a shallow side and a deep side, which looks like a cliff.

The essential goal of the visual cliff experiment is to determine if infants can recognize the visual cues associated with depth, such as texture gradients and relative size, and whether this perception influences their willingness to crawl across the apparent drop-off. The outcomes typically show that infants who can perceive depth are hesitant to crawl over the cliff, indicating that they possess a sense of depth perception.

This study provides insight into the development of perceptual skills in infants, crucial for understanding their interactions with the environment as they grow. Recognition of familiar objects, reactions to colors, or facial recognition does not specifically relate to depth perception and therefore falls outside the primary focus of this particular experiment.