Postural and object-oriented experiences advance early reaching, object exploration, and means-end behavior.
The effects of 3 weeks of social (control), postural, or object-oriented experiences on 9- to 21-week-old infants' (N = 42) reaching, exploration, and means-end behaviors were assessed. Coders recorded object contacts, mouthing, fingering, attention, and affect from video. Postural and object-oriented experiences advanced reaching, haptic exploration of objects, and developing means-end behavior compared to social experience. Object-oriented experience best-advanced means-end behavior. The results suggest that the development of novel behaviors is dependent on multiple subsystems and can be similarly advanced by addressing a variety of these subsystems. They also suggest that past experiences with active object exploration can facilitate early information processing and the development of early knowledge.
Lobo
Michele A
MA
Motor Behavior Laboratory, Department of Physical Therapy, 329 McKinly Lab Building, The University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA. malobo@udel.edu
Galloway
James C
JC
D002657:Child Development; D005106:Exploratory Behavior; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D011187:Posture; D013997:Time Factors