Exam 2: Foundations of development: Genetics and prenatal development

Correct Answer:

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To investigate if infants can remember learning that took place in utero, I would conduct a longitudinal study following a group of infants from birth through their early development.

First, I would use various methods to assess their memory and learning abilities, such as habituation tasks, visual recognition tasks, and auditory discrimination tasks. These tasks would be designed to measure the infants' ability to remember and recognize stimuli that they were exposed to in utero.

I would also use neuroimaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or electroencephalography (EEG), to examine the neural correlates of memory and learning in these infants. This would allow me to see if there are specific brain regions or patterns of brain activity associated with in utero learning.

Additionally, I would collect information about the mothers' activities and experiences during pregnancy, such as the types of music they listened to, the languages they spoke, and any other stimuli the foetus may have been exposed to. This information would help me understand what specific stimuli may have influenced the infants' memory and learning abilities.

By combining behavioral assessments, neuroimaging techniques, and information about prenatal experiences, I would be able to determine if infants can remember learning that took place in utero and gain insights into the mechanisms underlying foetal learning. This research could have important implications for understanding early cognitive development and for designing interventions to support infants' learning and development from the prenatal period onwards.