In order for infants to make sense of the world they have to perceive it, and research into the development of sensory and perceptual abilities is one of the most exciting and important areas of infancy research.

Originally published in 1998, the aim of this book was both to reflect current knowledge of perceptual development and to point to some of the many questions that remained unanswered at the time. The study of perceptual development is now a sophisticated science. The majority of the chapters tell a fascinating detective story: the way in which infants perceive and understand the world as they develop. Each of the major sections is prefaced by introductory comments, and the book will still be useful for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates, researchers, and other professionals who have an interest in early perceptual development and in infancy in general.