I study how selective attention develops during infancy with a focus on how both familiarity and reward influence where infants direct their attention. Using eye tracking and behavioral methods, my work aims to better understand how early attention supports learning during infancy.

Hunter, B., Montgomery, B., Sridhar, A. and Markant, J. (2024), Endogenous Control and Reward-based Mechanisms Shape Infants’ Attention Biases to Caregiver Faces. Developmental Psychobiology., 66: e22521. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.22521

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., & Markant, J. (2025, May). Visual Contexts Shape Species- and
Race-Based Attention Orienting Biases to Faces during Infancy. Poster accepted to the
Society for Research in Child Development, Minneapolis, MN.

Society for Research in Child Development Travel Award

Montgomery, B., Marcus, T., & Markant, J. (2024, October). Individual Differences in Endogenous Attention Control Relate to Attention Orienting Biases to Caregiver versus Stranger Faces at 4 Months of Age. Poster presented at the International Society for Developmental
Psychobiology, Chicago, IL.

International Society for Developmental Psychobiology Travel Award

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., & Markant, J. (2024, October). Examining the Role of Direct Competition on Species- and Race-based Attention Orienting Biases to Faces during Infancy. Poster presented at the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, Chicago, IL.

International Society for Developmental Psychobiology Travel Award

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., & Markant, J. (2024, April). Investigating the Role of Direct Competition on Species- and Race-based Attention Orienting Biases to Faces during Infancy. Poster presented at Tulane Research, Innovation and Creativity Summit, New Orleans, LA.

Graduate Student Best Poster Award

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., Sridhar, A., & Markant, J. (2024, March). Infant Sensitivity to Reward Influences Attention Biases towards Caregiver Faces. Poster presented at Society for Affective Science, New Orleans, LA.

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., & Markant, J. (2023, November). Differential Development of Attention Orienting and Attention Holding to Caregiver vs Stranger Faces in Infancy. Poster presented at Psychonomic Society, San Francisco, CA.

Montgomery, B., Hunter, B.K., & Markant, J. (2022, November). Differential Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Infants’ Attention Orienting and Attention Holding to Caregiver Faces. Poster presented at the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology, San Diego, CA 

International Society for Developmental Psychobiology Travel Award