A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

What was the independent variable in Gibson and Walk's study?

1. The depth of the visual cliff

2. The age of the infants

3. Whether the infant was called by its mother from the cliff side or the shallow side

4. The gender of the infants being tested

The correct answer is: Whether the infant was called by its mother from the cliff side or the shallow side

In Gibson and Walk's study, the independent variable pertains to the conditions that were manipulated to observe their effects on the infants' behavior regarding depth perception. The choice of whether the infant was called by its mother from the cliff side or the shallow side serves as a critical variable. This manipulation tested how the different environments affected the decision-making process of the infants as they approached the visual cliff. By altering where the mother called the infant from, the researchers could assess how the location influenced the infant's willingness to crawl across the apparent drop-off, providing insight into their perception of depth. This setup allowed for direct analysis of the infants' responses to social and environmental cues. The other options, while relevant to the study in different ways—such as the visual cliff's depth or the age and gender of the infants—did not directly influence the experimental conditions in the same way this manipulation did. Understanding the influence of maternal cues highlights the study's focus on perceptual development and social influences in infant behavior.