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Peri-hand space: A helping hand for faster object recognition in children
Nikola R Klassen1, Lindsay E Bamford1, Jenni M Karl1
1Department of Psychology, Thompson Rivers University.
Summary
Children show a stronger visual processing benefit in peri-hand space than adults. This suggests object recognition is more enhanced near the hands during childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Visual Neuroscience
Background:
- Visual processing is influenced by the proximity of one's hands, a phenomenon known as the peri-hand effect.
- The stability of peri-hand effects across different age groups, particularly in children versus adults, remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether peri-hand visual processing effects differ between children and adults.
- To determine if the facilitation of visual search within peri-hand space changes across the lifespan.
Main Methods:
- A naturalistic visual search task was conducted on a touchscreen monitor with eye-tracking technology.
- Participants (adults and 5- to 8-year-old children) identified a target image within an array.
- The task was performed with the hand near the visual array and with the hand in the lap to assess peri-hand effects.
Main Results:
- Both children and adults demonstrated faster target recognition when their hand was positioned near the visual array.
- The magnitude of the peri-hand effect, indicating enhanced visual processing, was significantly greater in children compared to adults.
Conclusions:
- Peri-hand visual processing benefits are present in both children and adults, but are more pronounced in childhood.
- These findings suggest that object recognition may be more strongly facilitated within peri-hand space during developmental stages of childhood.
