both the car and box continue to exist while out of sight.

[keannu]

Source : EBS English Reading Practice, 2024, 3-5, 34p
In a study, infants are first habituated to some recurring event — for example, a toy car that rolls down an inclined ramp, passes behind one end of a screen, and exits at the other end. Initially, this event is quite interesting and infants attend to it closely; eventually, however, looking times drop off, reflecting the fact that the babies are habituating to the familiar event. Following habituation, the infants see a box placed behind a screen. In one experimental condition (the possible event) the box is placed behind the tracks on which the car runs; in the other experimental condition (the impossible event) the box is placed directly on the tracks. The screen is then set back in place, and the car again makes its journey from one side to the other. Infants show little dishabituation to the possible event; looking times shoot up, however, when the car appears to pass magically through another solid object. Note that the babies cannot see the car and box at the point of their apparent contact; rather, they can be surprised by the impossible event only if they realize that both the car and box continue to exist while out of sight.

I don't understand the thick line. Does it refer to the italic sentence right before it?

 

[jutfrank]

It's just telling you to note some important information which will help you understand the implications of the experiment.

The babies obviously don't see the car 'crash' into the box because there's a screen in the way. This means that their surprise must be a product of what's called 'object permanence', which is to say that the babies assume the car and the box to continue to exist even when they can't see them. If they didn't have a sense of object permanence, it wouldn't be surprising.

 

[GoldfishLord]

What's the meaning of "passes behind one end of a screen"? I'm not sure.

 

[emsr2d2]

Imagine a screen (a solid object) on a table. The baby can see one side of the screen but the car is moved so that it is behind the screen and the baby can no longer see it (the car).

 

[GoldfishLord]

looking times shoot up, however, when the car appears to pass magically through another solid object.

---

Does "times" have the same meaning as the "times" in "she's already seen the movie several times."?

 

[5jj]

No.

'Looking time' refers to the amount of time spent looking.

 

[Rover_KE]

Source : EBS English Reading Practice, 2024, 3-5, 34p

In what country? What's 'EBS'? Is this a comprehension exercise? For students of what age?