That Baby Caught My Eye . . . and the Effect Replicated: Infant Face Attention Capture Without Moderation by Pre-Parental Readiness

Infant-face attention capture replication

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that infant faces capture adult attention, and this effect has been interpreted as reflecting the biological salience of infant faces as positively valenced stimuli, to which humans may have evolved to respond preferentially. However, subsequent studies have not consistently replicated this phenomenon. The present study investigated attentional capture by infant faces in a sample of university students, while controlling for relevant covariates, including parental readiness and the perceived attractiveness of infant faces. The results confirmed the attention-capturing effect of infant faces; however, no significant effects of pre-parental readiness or infant facial attractiveness were observed.