Final answer:
Human infants have the ability to learn statistical aspects of speech, such as recognizing repeated syllable sequences. They show preferences for their mother's voice, pay less attention to same-gender voices, and respond to changes in the pitch of a speaker's voice. This suggests the early language and communication development of infants. The correct answer is option: b) do all these things.
Step-by-step explanation:
Human infants display a remarkable ability to learn statistical aspects of speech. Research studies have shown that they are quickly able to recognize syllable sequences that appear repeatedly. Additionally, infants pay less attention to a same-gender voice and respond to changes in the pitch of a speaker's voice.
For example, newborns show preference for their mother's voice and can discriminate between their mother's language and others. They also have a preference for faces that move in synchrony with the audio of spoken language. These abilities indicate infants' early language and communication development.
Babies' sensory abilities are developed enough at birth to facilitate interaction with their caregivers. While babies prefer human faces and voices, particularly their mother's, they also have an advanced sense of smell, enabling them to distinguish between their mother's scent and that of others. Furthermore, auditory preferences, such as a response to female voices over male voices, suggest the role of early auditory experience in shaping later language comprehension and usage.