Development of inter-manual transfer of shape information in infancy.

Inter-manual transfer of shape information was studied with habituation/dishabituation procedures in 2- and 6-month-old infants. Both age groups habituated to a shape repeatedly placed in one hand and dishabituated when a new shape was placed in the same hand. Subsequent testing revealed that only the 2-month olds dishabituated when the habituated shape was placed in the opposite hand and that only the 6-month olds dishabituated when a new shape was placed in the opposite hand. These results indicate that inter-manual transfer of hand information occurs by 2-months of age and that inter-manual transfer of shape information emerges between 2 and 6 months of age. The implications of the findings are discussed.