1. Theoretical Perspectives in Motor Development
chapter 2
Theoretical Perspectives
in Motor
Development

2. Motor Development: What Happens?

3. Theories of Motor Development
Maturational perspective
Information processing perspective
Ecological perspective

4. Maturational Perspective
Motor development driven by maturation of systems (neural system important)
Minimal influence of environment
Characteristics of motor development
Qualitative
Discontinuous

5. History of the Maturational Perspective
1930s: Gesell, McGraw
Suggested invariable, genetically determined sequence of development (individuals can have unique timing)
Research: Co-twin control strategy

6. Maturationists’ Interest in Process
McGraw (1935) associated motor behavior changes with development of nervous system.
Posited that advancement in central nervous system triggers appearance of a new skill.

7. Long-Lasting Beliefs From Maturation Theory
Basic motor skills emerge automatically.
There is no need for special training.
Mild deprivation does not arrest development.
The nervous system is most important.

8. Descriptive Methodology in Motor Development
Characteristic of maturationists
Normative description
Use of quantitative scores to describe children’s average performance (Espenschade (1947), Glassow (1938), Rarick (1967))
Biomechanical descriptions of movement patterns in fundamental skills (Glassow (1938), Halverson (1973))

9. How Would a Maturationist Explain the Following?
Toddler learning to walk
Child riding a bike
Teenager having difficulty swimming

10. Information Processing
Also Bandura’s social learning (1986), Skinner’s behaviorism (1974)
Basic tenet: brain like a complex computer
The passive human responds to stimuli in the environment.
Research investigates stimulus–response links, feedback, and knowledge of results.
Young adults often studied first as basis of comparison for performance of children and older adults

11. Perceptual-Motor Development
Subfield exists within the framework of information processing.
Early work (1960s) tried to link learning disabilities to delayed perceptual-motor development.

12. How Would an Information Processing Theorist Explain the Following?
Toddler learning to walk
Child riding a bike
Teenager having difficulty swimming

13. Ecological Perspective
Development driven by interrelationship of individual, environment,
and task (importance of multiple systems)
Neural system one of many responsible for action
Two branches
1. Dynamic systems
2. Perception–action

14. Dynamic Systems
Theory was advocated in early 1980s by Kugler, Kelso, and Turvey (among others).
Body systems spontaneously self-organize (not driven solely by CNS).
Body systems, performer’s environment, and task demands interact.
(continued)

15. Dynamic Systems (continued)
Some systems may develop more slowly in the young or degrade faster in the old and thus control rate of development or change.
Development is characterized by qualitative and discontinuous change.
Change occurs across the life span.

16. Dynamic Systems: Graphing Change
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17. Perception–Action
Theory is based on the work of J.J. Gibson (1960s and 1970s).
Affordance is the function an environmental object provides to an individual.
Characteristics define objects’ meanings.
Object functions are based on individuals’ intrinsic dimensions (i.e., are body scaled) rather than object’s extrinsic, objective dimensions.

18. Ecological Perspective
Both branches reject CNS as executive controller of nearly limitless opportunities for movement.
Control is distributed throughout the body, at both global and local levels.
This challenging perspective allows for new types of experiments and new ways of thinking about old questions.

19. Ecological Perspective and Overview
If you were an ecological perspective theorist, how would you explain the following?
Toddler learning to walk
Child riding a bike
Teenager having difficulty swimming
Compare the three theories.