Most people are unaware of their blinking patterns, but when graduate student Sara Shultz of the Yale Child Study Center noticed that children blink less when they were watching a video, it sparked a study on children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) that has allowed scientists to better understand what piques these childrens' interests, The Huffington Post reports.
Lead researcher Dr. Warren Jones told the news source that the moment humans blink, they lose visual information around them. This means that less frequent blinking can indicate that an individual is more interested by or attracted to whatever is going on around them.
Although the study including children with ASD watching a video to find objects and movements that interested them, the results may help those who are developing a number of activities for these children - from creating games for
natural play to developing
commercial playground sensory features that will promote
inclusive play on
school playgrounds.
"Knowing what factors are naturally driving their attention ... could help everyday learning situations," Jones told the news source.