The development of motor behavior

Karen E. Adolph, John M. Franchak

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

Abstract

This article reviews research on the development of motor behavior from a developmental systems perspective. We focus on infancy when basic action systems are acquired. Posture provides a stable base for locomotion, manual actions, and facial actions. Experience facilitates improvements in motor behavior and infants accumulate immense amounts of experience with all of their basic action systems. At every point in development, perception guides motor behavior by providing feedback about the results of just prior movements and information about what to do next. Reciprocally, the development of motor behavior provides fodder for perception. More generally, motor development brings about new opportunities for acquiring knowledge about the world, and burgeoning motor skills can instigate cascades of developmental changes in perceptual, cognitive, and social domains. WIREs Cogn Sci 2017, 8:e1430. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1430. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere1430
JournalWiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science
Volume8
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • General Psychology

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