Newborns preferred config over its inversion, and amplitude of face over phase of face, but showed no preference for the positive-contrast face over the negative-contrast face. In contrast, 6-week-olds did not prefer config over its inversion and pre- ferred phase of face over amplitude of face.

Do newborn infants prefer complex or simple stimuli?

In simple tests of preference, infants as young as newborns prefer faces and face-like stimuli over distractors. Little is known, however, about the development of attention to faces in complex scenes.

What types of stimuli are newborn babies interested in?

Newborns show a consistent preference for looking at faces relative to other stimuli throughout infancy. Newborns' ability to recognize facelike patterns suggests that they may have an inherent ability to perceive faces before having actually viewed a face.