Discrimination of Biomechanically Possible and Impossible Hand Movements at Birth. Issue 2 (1st December 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Longhi, Elena; Senna, Irene; Bolognini, Nadia; Bulf, Hermann; Tagliabue, Paolo; Macchi Cassia, Viola; Turati, Chiara
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 86:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 632
• Page End: 641
• Publication Date: 2014-12-01
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12329
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : The development of human body perception has long been investigated, but little is known about its early origins. This study focused on how a body part highly relevant to the human species, namely the hand, is perceived a few days after birth. Using a preferential‐looking paradigm, 24‐ to 48‐hr‐old newborns watched biomechanically possible and impossible dynamic hand gestures (Experiment 1, N = 15) and static hand postures (Experiment 2, N = 15). In Experiment 1, newborns looked longer at the impossible, compared to the possible, hand movement, whereas in Experiment 2 no visual preference emerged. These findings suggest that early in life the representation of the human body may be shaped by sensory‐motor experience.