Effects of the similarity and dissimilarity between familiarization and test objects on recognition memory in infants following unimodal and bimodal familiarization.

Recognition memory for the shape of an object following unimodal (visual) and bimodal (visual and haptic) familiarization was investigated in 2 experiments. In both experiments, 6-month-old infants were familiarized either unimodally or bimodally with simple objects. In the first experiment the subjects were tested unimodally after familiarization, and in the second the subjects were tested bimodally. Visual recognition memory was only evident when the conditions of familiarization and testing were identical. 2 possible explanations of the data are presented, and the implications of these for the conclusions generated by previous studies are discussed.