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The development of body representations: an associative learning account
Carina C J M de Klerk1, Maria Laura Filippetti1, Silvia Rigato1
1Centre for Brain Science, Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, UK.
Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|April 28, 2021
Summary
Infants develop body representations through multisensory experiences and acting within their environment. This associative learning process helps them understand their own bodies and connect with others.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Neuroscience
- Embodied cognition
Background:
- Understanding body representation is crucial for environmental interaction.
- Existing theories propose innate body representation versus experience-dependent development.
- Recent evidence highlights the role of multisensory experiences in body representation development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for different accounts of body representation development.
- To propose an integrative, associative account of body representation formation.
- To generate hypotheses for future research on infant body perception.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of developmental psychology and neuroscience studies.
- Analysis of evidence supporting innate versus experience-based models.
- Synthesis of findings into a novel integrative framework.
Main Results:
- Evidence increasingly supports the role of multisensory experience in developing body representations.
- Infants form multisensory associations through active interaction with their bodies.
- This associative process is key to understanding one's own body.
Conclusions:
- An integrative, associative account explains infant body representation development.
- Multisensory experiences and active engagement are fundamental.
- This framework offers new avenues for developmental research.
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