Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Action in development.

Claes von Hofsten1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden. claes.von_hofsten@psyk.uu.se

Developmental Science
|December 22, 2006
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cognitive development is best understood through actions, which reveal a child's motivations and physical capabilities. Understanding how children learn about object affordances and event regularities is key to their cognitive growth.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Human infants are able to combine visual and proprioceptive target information in reaching.

Human movement science·2026
Same author

Atypical development of sequential manual motor planning and visuomotor integration in children with autism at early school-age: A longitudinal kinematic study.

Autism : the international journal of research and practice·2025
Same author

Multiple pathways to developmental continuity in infant cognition.

Trends in cognitive sciences·2023
Same author

Development of Motor Imagery in School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Longitudinal Study.

Brain sciences·2022
Same author

Visual tracking at 4 months in preterm infants predicts 6.5-year cognition and attention.

Pediatric research·2021
Same author

Motor planning and movement execution during goal-directed sequential manual movements in 6-year-old children with autism spectrum disorder: A kinematic analysis.

Research in developmental disabilities·2021
Same journal

Effects of Children's Video Gaming Experience on Chinese Orthographic Processing and Its Neural Mechanisms.

Developmental science·2026
Same journal

The Kia Tīmata Pai Randomized Controlled Trial: ENRICH Early Childhood Teacher Training Improves Toddlers' Oral Language and Self-Regulation.

Developmental science·2026
Same journal

Deaf Children's Use of Mutual Exclusivity and Eye Gaze to Determine Word Meanings in American Sign Language.

Developmental science·2026
Same journal

Adolescents and Adults Use Different Facial Movements and Vocal Cues to Express Emotions.

Developmental science·2026
Same journal

Decoding Preschool Social Dynamics: Automated Tracking of Spatial and Temporal Patterns to Investigate Social Interactions and Relationships in Peer Groups.

Developmental science·2026
Same journal

Early Life Stress Affects Human Decision Making by Increasing Expectations of Volatility.

Developmental science·2026
See all related articles

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Action Theory

Background:

  • Cognitive development is traditionally studied through internal mental processes.
  • A functional perspective emphasizes the role of external actions in shaping cognition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose an action-centric framework for understanding cognitive development.
  • To highlight the importance of future-oriented action planning and knowledge acquisition.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis integrating perspectives from developmental psychology and action theory.
  • Examination of how actions embody motives, constraints, and sensorimotor capabilities.

Main Results:

  • Actions provide a comprehensive functional lens on cognitive development.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Action planning relies on understanding event regularities and object affordances.
  • Acquiring knowledge about affordances and regularities is a critical developmental milestone.

    • Conclusions:

    • Cognitive development is intrinsically linked to the child's active engagement with the environment.
    • Understanding the functional role of actions is essential for a complete theory of cognitive development.