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Visual Online Control of Goal-Directed Aiming Movements in Children.
Isabelle Mackrous1, Luc Proteau1
1Département de Kinésiologie, Université de Montréal, Montréal QC, Canada.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 27, 2016
Summary
Even young children visually monitor goal-directed movements, similar to adults. This automatic visual monitoring and error correction process matures through childhood, suggesting a developing visual-hand information channel.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Motor control
- Visual perception
Background:
- Adults visually monitor the initial impulse of goal-directed movements.
- This visual monitoring is crucial for error correction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if children visually monitor goal-directed movements like adults.
- To determine the developmental trajectory of this visual monitoring ability.
Main Methods:
- Participants (5-12 years old and adults) moved a cursor to a target.
- In some trials, the cursor underwent an unpredictable 20 mm translation after movement initiation.
Main Results:
- Children as young as 5 visually monitored the initial impulse of their movements.
- Visual monitoring and error correction occurred even when the cursor jump was not consciously detected.
- This process appears to mature throughout childhood.
Conclusions:
- Children visually monitor goal-directed movements from an early age.
- The visual monitoring and error correction system develops gradually during childhood.
- A dedicated visual-hand information processing channel likely emerges during development.
