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Lateral cradling preferences in children
1Depto de Psicologia Experimental, I. Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil.
Perceptual and Motor Skills
|December 1, 1996
Insights
Children as young as 3 years old show a preference for cradling objects on their left side. This finding supports the early emergence of lateralized behavior patterns during human development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Handedness and lateralization are fundamental aspects of human motor control.
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of these preferences is crucial for cognitive and neurological studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence of lateral preferences in young children.
- To determine the age at which children exhibit a consistent preference for cradling objects.
Main Methods:
- Observational study involving children aged 2 to 6 years.
- Assessment of lateral preferences during doll cradling and package holding tasks.
Main Results:
- A significant left-side cradling preference was observed in children as young as 3 years old.
- This preference was consistent across different object-holding tasks.
Conclusions:
- The findings suggest an early emergence of behavioral lateralization in human ontogenesis.
- This early development of lateral preference may have implications for understanding brain lateralization and motor development.
Abstract:
Lateral preferences for cradling a doll and for holding a package were investigated among children from 2- to 6-yr-old. Results showed a preference for holding a baby on the left side of the body in children as young as 3 yr. old. The data favour the hypothesis of an early emergence of this pattern of behavior in the human ontogenesis.