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Updated: Oct 17, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
09:49

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

The effect of visual feedback of the hand on the reaching and retrieval behavior of young infants

R E Lasky

    Child Development
    |March 1, 1977
    PubMed

    Insights

    Infants reaching and retrieving objects were studied with and without seeing their hands. Older infants showed reduced performance when visual feedback was absent, suggesting an expectation of seeing their hands.

    Area of Science:

    • Developmental psychology
    • Infant motor development
    • Perception-action coupling

    Background:

    • Understanding infant motor skills is crucial for developmental milestones.
    • Early reaching and retrieving behaviors are key indicators of cognitive and motor development.
    • The role of visual feedback in early motor control is not fully understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate how visual feedback of the hand influences reaching and retrieving in infants.
    • To determine the age at which infants expect to see their hands during motor tasks.
    • To explore the impact of unmet visual expectations on infant motor behavior.

    Main Methods:

    • Observing 50 infants aged 2.5 to 6.5 months performing reaching and retrieving tasks.
    • Comparing performance with and without visual feedback of the infant's own hand.
    • Analyzing task success rates and behavioral disruptions based on age and visual condition.

    Main Results:

    • Infants reached and retrieved objects even without seeing their hands.
    • Performance was significantly reduced in infants aged 5.5 months and older when visual hand feedback was absent.
    • Behavioral disruptions were noted when infants did not see their hands as expected.

    Conclusions:

    • Infants develop an expectation of visual hand feedback by 5.5 months of age.
    • This expectation influences the execution of reaching and retrieving behaviors.
    • Disruption of this visual-motor coupling can temporarily inhibit motor actions in infants.

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