Themes In Motor Development

This book is divided into Sections. Each Section is devoted to a particular theme in Motor Development and comprises two or more contributions. The order of presentation is largely fortuitous and does not reflect any value judgement on the part of the editors as to the importance of anyone theme in comparison to others addressed' in the book. This volume is to be seen as a companion volume to 'Motor Development in Children: Aspects of coordination and control' in which the more general issues in motor development presented during the Institute are published. Together, the two volumes provide both a general and a theme specific approach to this expanding field of knowledge. XI PREFACE Books and conferences, on what in North America is euphemistically termed motor development, have been few and far between in the past 25 years. This is not to say that the study of how children acquire and develop motor skills has not been a subject on which scientists have focused their attention. In the United States in the 1930's and 1940's, Bayley (1935) and Gesell and Amatruda (1947) described and scaled the rates at which young children acquired motor skills. In Europe, the development of childrens' motor behaviour was of theoretical interest to Piaget (1952).

Sugden and Wade, leading authors in this area, comprehensively cover motor development and motor impairment, drawing on sources in medicine and health-related studies, motor learning and developmental psychology. A theme that runs through the book is that movement outcomes are a complex transaction of child resources, the context in which movement takes place, and the manner in which tasks are presented. The core themes of the book involve descriptions of motor development from conception through to emerging adulthood, explanations of motor development from differing theoretical, empirical, and experiential perspectives, and descriptions and explanations of atypical motor development when the resources of the child are limited in some way. Readership: Occupational therapists, physiotherapists, paediatricians, teachers (physical education, early childhood development, elementary education), educational psychologists, kinesiology and sports scientists.

Advanced Analysis of Motor Development explores how research is conducted in testing major issues and questions in motor development. It also looks at the evolution of research in the field, its current status, and possible future directions. This text is one of the few to examine motor development models and theories analytically while providing a context for advanced students in motor development so they can understand current and classic research in the field. Traditionally, graduate study in motor development has been approached through a compilation of readings from various sources. This text meets the need for in-depth study in a more cohesive manner by presenting parallels and highlighting relationships among research studies that independent readings might not provide. In addition, Advanced Analysis of Motor Development builds a foundation in the theories and approaches in the field and demonstrates how they drive contemporary research in motor development. A valuable text for graduate students beginning their own research projects or making the transition from student to researcher, this text focuses on examining and interpreting research in the field. Respected researchers Haywood, Roberton, and Getchell explain the history and evolution of the field and articulate key research issues. As they examine each of the main models and theories that have influenced the field, they share how motor development research can be applied to the fields of physical education, special education, physical therapy, and rehabilitation sciences. With its emphasis on critical inquiry, Advanced Analysis of Motor Development will help students examine important topics and questions in the field in a more sophisticated manner. They will learn to analyze research methods and results as they deepen their understanding of developmental phenomena. For each category of movement skills covered (posture and balance, foot locomotion, ballistic skills, and manipulative skills), the authors first offer a survey of the pertinent research and then present an in-depth discussion of the landmark studies. In analyzing these studies, students will come to appreciate the detail of research and begin to explore possibilities for their own future research. Throughout the text, special elements help students focus on analysis. Tips for Novice Researchers sidebars highlight issues and questions raised by research and offer suggestions for further exploration and study. Comparative tables detail the differences in the purpose, methods, and results of key studies to help students understand not only what the studies found but also the relevance of those findings. With Advanced Analysis of Motor Development, readers will discover how research focusing on the major issues and central questions in motor development is produced and begin to conceptualize their own research. Readers will encounter the most important models and theories; dissect some of the seminal and recent articles that test these models and theories; and examine issues such as nature and nurture, discontinuity and continuity, and progression and regression. Advanced Analysis of Motor Development will guide students to a deeper understanding of research in life span motor development and enable them to examine how the complexities of motor development can be addressed in their respective professions.

This book is divided into sections. Each section is devoted to a particular issue in Motor Development and comprises two or more contributions. The order of presentation mirrors the order of presentation at the Institute and thus is not entirely fortuitous! Nevertheless, it does not reflect any value judgement on the part of the editors as to the importance of anyone issue in comparison to others addressed in the book. This volume is to be seen as a companion volume to 'Themes in Moto!' Development' in which the more specific topics presented during the Institute are published. Together, the two volumes provide both a general and theme specific approach to this expanding field of knowledge. XI PREFACE Books and conferences, on what in North America is euphemistically termed motor development, have been few and far between in the past 25 years. This is not to say that the study of how children acquire and develop motor skills has not been a subject on which scientists have focused their attention. In the United States in the 1930's and 1940's, Bayley (1935) and Gesell and Amatruda (1947) described and scaled the rates at which young children acquired motor skills. In Europe, the development of childrens' motor behaviour was of theoretical interest to Piaget (1952).

This book is the outcome of a Nato Workshop, held in France in July 1989. The workshop was organized to examine current ideas about sensory-motor organizations during human infancy and their development through early childhood. The study of sensory-motor development is experiencing a profound shift in scope, focus, methodology and theoretical foundations. Many of these changes are quite new and not yet well covered in the literature. We thought it would be useful for some of the leading researchers in this field to convene together and to compare notes, and collectively to establish future directions for the field. The reasons for a new conceptualization of sensory-motor development are no doubt numerous, but three are especially significant: 1. One concerns a shift from studying either sensory or motor processing to investigation of the relations between the two. 2. The second is connected to the new emphasis on action, and its implications for goal-directed and intentional behaviour extending over time. 3. Lastly, new theories and methodologies provide access to new tools for studying and conceptualizing the developmental process. 1.-One of the most enduring legacies of the behaviorist perspective has been a focus on the stimulus and the response to the exclusion of the relation between them (Pick, 1989). Historically, this bias translated into a research agenda in which the investigator was concerned with either perceptual or motor competence, but rarely the relation between them.

"This book explores the fascinating subject of motor development from birth through adulthood. The most comprehensive and up-to-date, scientifically based book available, "Lifelong Motor Development, Third Edition," reviews the latest theory and research to help readers understand physical growth and motor development across the lifespan." The nature/nurture theme pervades, stimulating critical thinking and giving an exciting perspective from which to consider the biological and environmental influences on the various aspects of motor development. Highlights the latest findings in early brain development research and the importance of that research on motor behavior and application of knowledge. New research includes studies on perception, dynamical systems, infant (motor) memory, psychomotor slowing, and physical fitness." For anyone interested in physical education, kinesiology, exercise science, and human performance.