Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026
08:24
Sit-to-stand-and-walk from 120% Knee Height: A Novel Approach to Assess Dynamic Postural Control Independent of Lead-limb
Published on: August 30, 2016
10.7K
Postural control during reaching while sitting and general motor behaviour when learning to walk
Anke G Boxum1, Sacha La Bastide-Van Gemert2, Linze-Jaap Dijkstra1
1University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Paediatrics - Developmental Neurology, Groningen, the Netherlands.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|June 16, 2018
Summary
Infants learning to walk exhibit individual postural strategies rather than consistent reorganization. General motor behavior shows reorganization during this transition, indicating unique developmental pathways.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Motor control
- Infant motor development
Background:
- Understanding postural control and motor behavior changes during early development is crucial.
- The transition to independent walking is a significant motor milestone involving complex neuromuscular adaptations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in muscular postural strategies and general motor behavior in infants during the acquisition of independent walking.
- To assess postural control at the levels of direction specificity and fine-tuning.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study recorded surface electromyograms of arm, trunk, and neck muscles in 28 infants.
- Infants were assessed during three developmental phases: pull-to-stand (T0), first steps (T1), and one month post-T1 (T2).
- Motor behavior was evaluated using the Infant Motor Profile (IMP), with data analyzed using linear mixed-effects models.
Main Results:
- No significant changes in overall postural parameters were observed over time.
- Individual infants displayed unique postural reorganizational changes.
- The total Infant Motor Profile (IMP) score decreased significantly from T0 to T1, but not from T1 to T2.
Conclusions:
- Typically developing infants demonstrate individual muscular strategies for postural control during the transition to walking, not consistent reorganization patterns.
- Evidence of general motor behavior reorganization is present during this developmental period.
- Infant motor development is characterized by individual trajectories in postural control and overall motor skills.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
6.3K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
6.3K
01:14Avoidance Learning and Learned Helplessness
2.6K
Avoidance learning and learned helplessness are critical concepts in understanding behavioral responses to negative stimuli.
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
Avoidance learning occurs when an organism learns that a specific behavior can prevent an unpleasant outcome. For example, a student who receives a bad grade may start studying harder to avoid future poor grades. This behavior persists even when the negative outcome is no longer present. Avoidance learning is powerful because it maintains behavior in the absence of the...
2.6K
01:27Associative Learning
1.4K
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Classical conditioning, also known...
1.4K
01:22Purposive Learning
513
E. C. Tolman emphasized the purposiveness of behavior — the idea that much of our behavior is goal-directed. For instance, employees who aim for a promotion work diligently to meet their targets. Tolman argued that when classical conditioning and operant conditioning occur, the organism acquires certain expectations. In classical conditioning, a child might fear a dog because they expect it to bite. In operant conditioning, a person might consistently work overtime because they expect a...
513
01:12Observational Learning
1.0K
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...
1.0K
01:25Learning Disabilities
626
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
626