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What Changes in Infant Walking and Why
Author(s) -
Adolph Karen E.,
Vereijken Beatrix,
Shrout Patrick E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
child development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1467-8624
pISSN - 0009-3920
DOI - 10.1111/1467-8624.7402011
Subject(s) - psychology , developmental psychology , motor skill , balance (ability) , child development , physical medicine and rehabilitation , medicine , neuroscience
This study compared the relative contributions of growing body dimensions, age, and walking experience in the development of walking skill in 9‐ to 17‐month‐old infants ( N= 210), 5–6‐year old kindergartners ( N= 15), and college students ( N= 13). Kinematic measures derived from participants' footprints showed characteristic improvements in walking skill. As children became bigger, older, and more experienced, their steps became longer, narrower, straighter, and more consistent. Improvements reflected a narrowing base of support and increasing control over the path of progression. Although both infants' age and the duration of their walking experience contributed to improvements in walking skill, experience was the stronger predictor. This finding suggests that practice is the more important developmental factor for helping infants to conquer their weak muscles and precarious balance.