Final answer:
The best experimental setup for testing a baby's ability to discriminate between different stimuli is option C: using a visual preference paradigm with two stimuli to see which the baby looks at longer. This method is in line with research on newborns' visual preferences and evaluates the baby's visual capabilities directly.
Step-by-step explanation:
If Dr. Burke wants to test if a baby's eyes have developed well enough to discriminate between different stimuli, the most appropriate experimental setup would be using a visual preference paradigm with two stimuli to see which the baby looks at longer. This method, option C, directly assesses the visual abilities of the baby, making it possible to discern if the baby can differentiate between visual stimuli. This approach aligns with research indicating that newborns have a clear preference for looking at human faces and can be particularly engaged by shiny objects, sharp contrasting colors, or complex patterns. While newborns' vision isn't fully developed at birth, they show an innate preference for faces over other stimuli, making it crucial to utilize visual tests to understand their perceptual development.
Newborns have limited color perception but can distinguish colors like red relatively early, and their color perception improves quickly after birth. Newborns are also known to respond to their mother's voice and have a strong sense of smell, indicating that they can distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar scents. However, to test visual development, particularly the ability to discriminate between visual stimuli, option C's use of a visual preference paradigm is the most direct and informative method.