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The developmental origins of bimanual coordination: a dynamic perspective
1Department of Psychology, Indiana University, USA. corbetta@sage.cc.purdue.edu
Summary
Infant reaching coordination fluctuates, matching underlying movement tendencies. This suggests early coordination patterns influence goal-directed behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neuroscience
- Motor control
- Infant motor development
Background:
- Infant interlimb coordination patterns change rapidly during development.
- Understanding these fluctuations is key to grasping early motor learning.
- Coordination tendencies may underlie observed reaching behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between fluctuating interlimb coordination patterns in infant reaching and underlying coordination tendencies.
- To determine if coordination tendencies in non-reaching movements predict patterns observed during reaching.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 4 infants over their first year.
- Weekly recording of reaching and non-reaching arm kinematics.
- Analysis of interlimb coordination patterns in both movement types.
Main Results:
- Reaching interlimb coordination patterns mirrored coordination tendencies in non-reaching movements.
- Reaching behavior alternated between uni- and bimanual periods.
- During bimanual reaching, non-reaching movements were synchronous.
- During unimanual reaching, non-reaching movements lacked a dominant coordination pattern.
Conclusions:
- Coordination tendencies appear to influence the organization of infant reaching.
- Developmental changes in coordination tendencies may shape early goal-directed actions.
- This research provides insights into the foundational mechanisms of motor skill acquisition.