-
-
>>[researcher] Look Ainsley,
look at the shopping cart.
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>>[narration] At Chris Moore's lab at Dalhouser University,
researchers developed the "shopping cart study"
-
to examine this question.
-
>>[researcher] "So you can roll it up like
that. See that? And you can push it."
-
15 month Ainsley is introduced
to the shopping cart.
-
>>[researcher] "I'm gonna get you to push it."
-
After a brief demonstration, researchers
wanted to see if Ainsley would figure out
-
how to get the cart to her mother.
-
>>[mom] Show Mommy. Bring your cart
over here. Bring me the cart.
-
"Let's push it. "
-
Ainsley pushes and pushes.
-
>>[mom] "Push it over."
-
The cart does not get
any closer to her mother.
-
>>[mom] Push it. Let me see.
-
>>[narration] Researchers believe for
the baby human to solve this problem,
they have to have a sense of self.
-
At 15 months, Ainsley has no idea
that it is her body that is
preventing the cart from moving.
-
>>[researcher] "Is that a special cart?
That's a very special cart
-
>>[narration] Next comes
14 month Oscar.
-
>>[researcher] It's just
your size. Come show me.
-
>>[Oscar] [inaudible babble.]
-
>>[narration] He too can't
figure out why the cart won't move.
-
Out of frustration, he tries
to climb into the cart.
-
16 month old Maria gets a bit
closer to solving the mystery.
-
She knows it has
something to do with the mat
but doesn't make the
further connection to herself,
and thinks it's the mat's fault.
-
>>[mom] Push it to Mama.
-
>>[narration] 18 month Jonathan pushes
once and then steps off the mat.
-
He has quickly figured out that he is the one
who was the obstacle to moving the cart.
-
Which suggests that he is
aware of himself and his body.
-
>>[researcher] Can you
bring it over to Mommy?
-
Abigail is also 18 months.
-
>>[researcher] Oh, you're such a good girl.
You pushed it over to your Mom.
-
>>[narration] She takes a walk to the
front of the cart to analyze the problem.
-
It takes her no time to understand
that if she is standing on the mat,
there is no way the cart can move.
-
>>[mom] Abby bring them the cart.
-
>>[narration] Her solution
is to roll up the mat.
-
>>[mom] Oh my goodness.
Atta girl.
-
>>[narration] From this, researchers have concluded
that baby humans become aware of themselves
-
only after 18 months of life.
-
>>[researcher] Good girl.
