Abstract: This paper explores the developmental level of visual discriminationabilities of new-born babies by utilizing habituation method. A sampleof 176 neonates were randomly selected from the infants born in BeijingFriendship Hospital. The subjects' ages ranged from 8 minutes to 13 days.All the babies were awake and in normal physical condition when tested. Theexperimental materials consisted of 8 pictures with the following patterns:grey circle, red circle, black annulation, normal human face, abnormalhuman face, and three kinds of alternate white and black stripes ofdifferent widths. These original pictures were grouped by combining theminto 10 pairs for comaprison. The results indicate: From the time of birth the infants are able tovisually discriminate some pictures with different patterns; the new-born babies have also developed colour discrimination abilities to a certainextent; two pictures, different only in one dimension, are easier for neona-tes to distinguish; newborn babies' visual discrimination capabilities arenot significantly correlated with their sex.

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