Does Virtual Counting Count for Babies? Evidence From an Online Looking Time Study

Abstract

Infants who receive better counting input at home tend to become toddlers with better number knowledge in preschool. However, for many children, in-person counting experience is not always available, despite educational media becoming increasingly prevalent. Might virtual counting experience benefit the young mind? Using a novel online looking time paradigm, a cross-sectional sample of 14 to 19-month-old infants’ (United States; N = 81; 35 females; 64% White; within-subject design) ability to keep track of objects presented on screen was measured. We found that infants were significantly more likely to detect a change in numerical quantity after watching the objects being pointed at and counted by an animated hand compared with when there was no counting. These findings provide initial evidence for numerical cognitive benefits from counting video relative to a no counting baseline before the second birthday.