Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development

The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
Exploration...

Modeling in Therapy

Modeling in Therapy

Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.

Observational Learning

Observational Learning

Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning because...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Getting the proper grip: A longitudinal study of how infants learn to adapt action Plans.

Journal of experimental child psychology·2026

Same author

A transdisciplinary process-oriented approach to evaluate infant exposure to indoor dust.

Journal of exposure science & environmental epidemiology·2026

Same author

Role differentiated bimanual manipulation during a lab-based free play task.

Infant behavior & development·2025

Same author

Controlling posture to see the world: The integration of visual task demands and postural sway in sitting and standing infants.

Journal of experimental child psychology·2023

Same author

Effect of carrying objects on walking characteristics and language abilities in 13- and 24-month-olds.

Developmental psychology·2023

Same author

An Exploration of Toddlers' Problems in a Search Task.

Infancy : the official journal of the International Society on Infant Studies·2021

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task

Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task

Published on: June 1, 2015

Self-directed action affects planning in tool-use tasks with toddlers.

Laura J Claxton¹, Michael E McCarty, Rachel Keen

¹Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2046, USA. ljclaxton@purdue.edu

Infant Behavior & Development

|February 3, 2009

Summary

Toddlers grasp tools better when they control the action, like using a spoon. Making negative outcomes clearer did not change this preference for self-directed tool use in toddlers.

More Related Videos

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Published on: March 1, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task

Quantifying Learning in Young Infants: Tracking Leg Actions During a Discovery-learning Task

Published on: June 1, 2015

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Experimental Paradigm for Measuring the Effects of Self-distancing in Young Children

Published on: March 1, 2019

Area of Science:

Cognitive Development
Motor Skill Acquisition
Child Psychology

Background:

Toddlers exhibit differences in tool grasping based on action direction.
Self-directed tool use (e.g., spoon) appears more effective than other-directed use (e.g., hammer).
The salience of action consequences may influence motor learning.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of action direction on toddlers' tool grasping efficiency.
To determine if making negative consequences equally salient alters self- versus other-directed tool use preferences.
To understand the role of consequence awareness in early motor control.

Main Methods:

Toddlers were presented with tools for both self-directed and other-directed actions.
The study compared grasping efficiency between the two conditions.
Negative consequences of inefficient grips were manipulated for salience.

Main Results:

Toddlers consistently demonstrated more effective grasping for self-directed tools.
This difference persisted even when negative outcomes were made equally apparent.
The enhanced salience of consequences did not eliminate the preference for self-directed actions.

Conclusions:

Toddlers' preference for self-directed tool use is robust and not solely dependent on the obviousness of consequences.
Motor learning and skill acquisition in toddlers are significantly influenced by the degree of agency.
Further research should explore the underlying mechanisms driving this developmental preference.