title: The end-state comfort effect in young children.
abstract: The end-state comfort effect has been observed in recent studies of grip selection in adults. The present study investigated whether young children also exhibit sensitivity to end-state comfort. The task was to pick up an overturned cup from a table, turn the cup right side up, and pour water into it. Two age groups (N = 20 per group) were studied: preschool children (2-3 years old), and kindergarten students (5-6 years old). Each child performed three videotaped trials of the task. Only 11 of the 40 children exhibited the end-state comfort effect, and there were no differences between age groups. Results revealed the emergence of five different performance patterns, none of which were consistent with sensitivity to end-state comfort. The findings have implications for the advance planning of manual control in young children.
authors.affiliation: Actavis Group, Hafnarfirdi, Iceland.
authors.forename: Carola F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Adalbjornsson
authors.forename: Mark G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fischman
authors.forename: Mary E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Rudisill
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011187:Posture; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis