Age and task-related differences in timing stability, consistency, and natural frequency of children's rhythmic, motor coordination.
How does task complexity affect performance in a rhythmic movement task across childhood and into adulthood? The purpose of this experiment was to compare the frequency, stability, and consistency of clapping and walking when these tasks were produced individually and simultaneously by children of different ages. Statistically significant differences were found in natural frequency, stability, and consistency between tasks, limb actions, and among age groups. The results indicated that action-dependent, age-related differences existed. Further, task-related differences existed in these measures that were constant across age groups. This suggested that the role of task was as important as changing morphologies in determining action characteristics across childhood.
Getchell
Nancy
N
Department of Health, Nutrition, Exercise Sciences, 157 Human Performance Laboratory, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. getchell@udel.edu
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*