Kap 4. The Emergence of Action

Question 1

Reflexes

Answer 1

automatic responses to particular forms of stimuli

Question 2

Patellar reflex

Answer 2

“knee jerk reflex”
- tapiing a tendon below the kneecap causes the lower leg to kick

Question 3

Rooting reflex

Answer 3

brushing an object against the face causes a newborn to moce his mouth toward the object and attempt sucking

Question 4

grasp reflex

Answer 4

touching the newborn´s palm gently causes him to grasp tightly

Question 5

the stepping reflex

Answer 5

gently lowering the baby feet-first to a surface triggers automatic stepping movements

Question 6

Moro reflex

Answer 6

experiencing a lack of support causes a baby´s arms to move out to the sides

Question 7

Cephalo-caudal

Answer 7

–top-to-bottom (head to toes)

skills related to head neck and upper limb movement emerge earlier than those related to lower limbs.

Question 8

Proximo-distal

Answer 8

center to periphery
skills related to torso and arms emerge earlier than those related to
hands and feet

Question 9

Maturational account of motor development

Answer 9

The maturational account of motor development suggests that motor skills and physical abilities emerge according to a biologically programmed timetable, influenced mainly by genetic factors.

This theory posits that motor development follows a predictable sequence, with changes happening as the brain and nervous system mature over time.

biological maturation

Question 10

The Dynamic Systems view of motor development

Answer 10

suggests that motor skills emerge from the complex interactions between the individual, the environment, and the task at hand.

This view emphasizes that development is not solely driven by genetic maturation, as suggested in the maturational account, but rather by the dynamic interplay of various factors that influence how and when motor abilities unfold.

multiple interacting factors

Question 11

perceptual motor development

Answer 11

Perceptual-motor development refers to the process by which children learn to coordinate sensory input (such as vision, hearing, and touch) with motor actions (such as moving, grasping, or balancing).

Question 12

The importance of action

Answer 12

”We must perceive in order to move, but we must also move in
order to perceive.” J. J. Gibson, 1979, p. 223

Cat experiment - active vs passive