Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 25, 2026
05:19
Practical Methodology of Cognitive Tasks Within a Navigational Assessment
Published on: June 1, 2015
The role of assisted manipulation in cognitive development
Albert M Cook1, Kim Adams, Pedro Encarnação
1Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada. al.cook@ualberta.ca
Developmental Neurorehabilitation
|February 3, 2012
Summary
Robots enhance cognitive development in children with motor disabilities by providing tools for independent exploration and participation. Assistive technologies like robots offer new ways for children to interact with their environment and develop crucial skills.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Developmental Psychology
- Assistive Technology
Background:
- Motor experience is crucial for cognitive development.
- Assistive technologies can support children with motor disabilities.
- Robots offer potential for augmentative manipulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the use of robots as assistive technologies for children with motor disabilities.
- To describe cognitive skills revealed by children using robots.
- To identify opportunities for participation and exploration.
Main Methods:
- Revision of studies involving typically-developing children and children with disabilities using robots.
- Analysis of cognitive skills demonstrated during robot interaction.
- Identification of participation and exploration opportunities.
Main Results:
- Robots offer insights into the cognitive abilities of children with motor disabilities.
- Robots facilitate independent exploration and participation in learning and play.
- Integrating augmentative manipulation and communication boosts engagement for children with disabilities.
Conclusions:
- Children with disabilities can use robotic systems for independent environmental interaction.
- Robots serve as tools for revealing and developing cognitive skills.
- Alternative access methods improve participation for children with severe motor disabilities.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development from Childhood into Adulthood
Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasizes the role of thinking in a child's learning process, suggesting that children are naturally curious about their environment. His approach to development is discontinuous, proposing that cognitive abilities progress through distinct stages, each with unique characteristics. Central to Piaget's theory is schemata—mental structures that allow individuals to understand and interpret the world.
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
Schemata...
Schemata: Building Blocks of Knowledge
Schemata...
01:30Information Processing Approach
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
01:14Piaget'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...
Exploration...
01:21Cognitive Learning
Cognitive learning is based on purposive behavior, incidental learning, and insight learning.
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
E. C. Tolman's theory of purposive behavior emphasizes that much behavior is goal-directed. He argued that to understand behavior, we must look at the entire sequence of actions leading to a goal. For instance, high school students study hard, not just due to past reinforcement but also to achieve the goal of getting into a good college.
Tolman introduced the idea that behavior is influenced by...
01:22Vygotsky's Cognitive Development in Cultural Context
Lev Vygotsky, a pioneering Russian psychologist, developed a theory of cognitive development that centers on the influence of social and cultural factors. Unlike Jean Piaget, who emphasized the child's direct interaction with the physical world as key to development, Vygotsky argued that cognitive growth is an interpersonal process that unfolds within a cultural context. For Vygotsky, a child's learning cannot be separated from their social environment, which includes the values, beliefs, and...
01:18Cognitive Development During Adolescence
During adolescence, individuals experience significant cognitive development that enhances their understanding of others' emotions and thoughts, known as cognitive empathy. This period is marked by an increased ability to adapt to others' perspectives and a more nuanced understanding of others' mental states, a skill that is foundational for social problem-solving and conflict avoidance. The development of cognitive empathy relies heavily on the theory of mind — the recognition that people have...