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It’s a confusing world for babies. To make sense of it, they look for intellectual stimulation¹. But they’re only interested if what they look at is not too hard to comprehend—or boringly easy. Researchers call it the Goldilocks effect, in a study in the journal Public Library of Science One.

Seventy-two seven- and eight-month-old babies had their eye movements tracked as they watched videos. They sat on their parents’ laps for security—but the grown-ups wore visors and headphones, so they couldn’t see the videos and give subconscious² cues.

In the videos, objects appeared behind or in boxes. When a video became too boring—exactly the same thing happened all the time—the babies lost interest and looked away.

But when the videos got too complex—with no pattern or action that could be anticipated—the babies again stopped looking. They needed just enough complexity³.

The researchers say the study suggests that babies need some element of surprise to maintain attention. They add this finding is reminiscent of theories about adult learners, who might lose interest if material is too easy or too hard. Like Goldlocks’s porridge, it has to be just right.

Thanks for the minute for Scientific American 60 second Science, I am Cynthia Graber.

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1 stimulation
n.刺激，激励，鼓舞
参考例句：
The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。 You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。

2 subconscious
n./adj.潜意识(的)，下意识(的)
参考例句：
Nail biting is often a subconscious reaction to tension.咬指甲通常是紧张时的下意识反映。 My answer seemed to come from the subconscious.我的回答似乎出自下意识。

3 complexity
n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物
参考例句：
Only now did he understand the full complexity of the problem.直到现在他才明白这一问题的全部复杂性。 The complexity of the road map puzzled me.错综复杂的公路图把我搞糊涂了。