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Updated: Dec 22, 2025
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Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
Published on: April 19, 2017
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The Development of Object Construction from Infancy through Toddlerhood
Emily C Marcinowski1, Eliza Nelson2, Julie M Campbell3
1Physical Therapy Department, Virginia Commonwealth University.
Summary
Object construction skills, including stacking and nesting, develop uniquely in infants and toddlers. Early infant skills predict later toddler abilities, but distinct developmental paths emerge.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Development
- Manual Skills
Background:
- Object construction is a key developmental milestone in early childhood.
- Its trajectory and relationship with cognitive skills require further investigation.
- Understanding object construction provides insights into broader developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the developmental trajectory of three object construction types (stacking, nesting, affixing).
- To analyze construction skill development across infancy and toddlerhood (10-24 months).
- To examine the relationship between infant and toddler construction abilities.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study with a large sample size (n=131 infants, n=65 toddlers).
- Monthly assessments across 5 infant visits and 7 toddler visits.
- Multilevel modeling to analyze trends in construction skill development.
Main Results:
- Each of the three construction actions (stacking, nesting, affixing) showed unique developmental patterns.
- Infant object construction skill was a significant predictor of subsequent toddler skill.
- Toddler construction skills diverged from earlier infant developmental trajectories.
Conclusions:
- Object construction skills evolve distinctively throughout infancy and toddlerhood.
- Early foundational skills in infancy support later, more complex toddler abilities.
- Combination strategies play a crucial role in the development of object construction.
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