Related Experiment Videos
The development of volitional behavior in the toddler years
1Max Planck Institut für psychologische Forschung, München, West Germany.
Child Development
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Toddlers develop volitional skills by learning to meet task standards and control actions for desired outcomes. This study observed consistent developmental patterns in children aged 15-35 months.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Child Development
Background:
- Early volitional skills are crucial for goal-directed behavior.
- Understanding how toddlers develop self-regulation and task engagement is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the emergence of early volitional skills in toddlers.
- To examine toddlers' abilities in matching actions to task standards and monitoring outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of children aged 15 to 35 months.
- Involved structured play and clean-up tasks.
- Analysis of task engagement, outcome monitoring, and affective reactions.
Main Results:
- Consistent developmental patterns observed in toddlers' focus on outcomes.
- Increased ability to monitor, correct, and control actions over time.
- Developmental progression in reacting to outcomes with positive affect.
Conclusions:
- Toddlers' volitional skills develop through changes in action representation and self-regulation.
- The self plays an active role in the development of these skills.
- Findings provide insight into early goal-directed behavior and self-control.