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Updated: Jul 13, 2026
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Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans
Published on: January 15, 2018
Vision and precision reaching in 15-month-old infants
Renee L Carrico1, Neil E Berthier
1Saint Michael's College, Box 399, Colchester, VT 05439, USA. rcarrico@smcvt.edu
Infant Behavior & Development
|August 21, 2007
Summary
Fifteen-month-olds adjust their reaching based on visual feedback and task difficulty. This suggests visual guidance becomes more critical for infants as they tackle more precise movements.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Motor Control
- Infant Perception
Background:
- Theories of reaching development often emphasize visual information of the hand's location in space.
- Empirical evidence presents a complex picture, with adult reaching clearly utilizing hand vision, but its role in infant development remaining debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of visual feedback in 15-month-old infants' reaching behavior.
- To examine how precision demands and the availability of visual information influence infant reaching kinematics.
Main Methods:
- Infants reached for objects of varying sizes under different visual conditions: full lighting (target and hand visible) and dim lighting (only a glowing target visible).
- Kinematic data of the reaching movements were analyzed to assess adjustments based on task demands and visual feedback.
Main Results:
- Fifteen-month-olds' reaching movements were sensitive to both precision demands and the level of visual feedback.
- Infants exhibited corrective movements in response to increased task difficulty and reduced visual information, mirroring adult adjustments.
- These kinematic alterations suggest a developmental shift in the reliance on visual guidance for reaching.
Conclusions:
- Visual guidance plays a significant role in 15-month-olds' reaching, particularly as tasks become more precise.
- The findings indicate that visual feedback becomes increasingly important for motor control as infants develop.
- Infant reaching kinematics show developmental continuity with adult patterns, highlighting the evolving role of vision in motor skill acquisition.
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01:24Vision
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