NEURAL CORRELATES OF CROSS-MODAL RECOGNITION MEMORY BY 8-MONTH-OLD HUMAN INFANTS

The neural correlates of cross-modal recognition memory were examined in 8-month-old infants by using event-related potentials. Testing bega n by having all Ss feel (but not see) an object for 60 s. Test trials then followed. Infants in Condition 1 received 15 presentations of a p icture of the familiar object. followed by alternating pictures of tha t object and a novel object. Infants in Condition 2 received 1 5 prese ntations of a picture of the novel object. followed by the same test s equence as infants in Condition 1. Infants in Condition 3 were present ed with 2 test trials during which looking times were recorded to pict ures of the familiar and novel objects: they then received the same te st sequence as infants in Conditions 1 and 2. Infants in Condition 4 w ere presented only with the same test sequence as infants in Condition s 1, 2, and 3. Only in Conditions 1 and 4 was a late positive slow wav e invoked by the novel object (indicative of recognition memory . alth ough infants in Condition 3 did show a significant looking preference for the novel object. These results are contrasted with previous studi es examining the neural correlates of visual recognition memory.