Eye Contact and Face Scanning in Early Infancy

Abstract

Visual fixations of 3- to 5-week-old, 7-week-old, and 9- to 11-week-old infants were recorded as they scanned an adult's face which was stationary, moving, or talking. A dramatic increase in face fixations occurred between 5 and 7 weeks for all conditions. Talking produced an intensification of scanning in the eye area in the two older groups.