Highs and Lows in Motor Control Development

Abstract

Motor control is classically described as relying on two components: anticipatory control (feedforward processing) and online control (feedback processing). Here we aimed to unveil the developmental steps of both feedback and feedforward control in 5–10 years old children, using a simple and ecological task. We manipulated object’s weight in a reach-to-displace paradigm. When the weight was known before lifting it, anticipatory processes were quantifiable during the reaching phase. Conversely, an unknown weight triggered online corrections during the displacing phase. Movement kinematics revealed that children anticipate this objet property as young as 5 y-o. This anticipation becomes adequate around 7 y-o and is paralleled by poor online corrections. This simple yet relevant paradigm should allow quantifying deviations from neurotypical patterns in disorders of motor control.     

When Times Get Tough: Savoring and Relationship Satisfaction in Couples Coping with a Stressful Life Event

Background and Objectives: When couples face a stressful life event, this can adversely impact relationship satisfaction. Because savoring positive experiences is thought to enhance intimate relationships and there is evidence that savoring buffers the negative effects of stress at the intrapersonal level, this study examined savoring as an interpersonal resource for couples who experienced a stressful life event.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-eight opposite-sex couples completed measures of impact of event, savoring, positive affect, and relationship satisfaction.

Results: Results from actor-partner interdependence models found that: (1) For couple members who reported a relatively low impact of event, their own savoring was positively predicted by their partner’s impact of event; (2) For women, their own savoring the moment predicted their own and their partner’s greater relationship satisfaction; (3) The relationship between one’s own impact of event and relationship satisfaction was buffered by one’s partner’s savoring the moment; and (4) The relationship between one’s own savoring and relationship satisfaction was mediated by one’s own positive affect.

Conclusions: The findings support the study of savoring as an interpersonal resource in times of stress and have implications for couples-based interventions.     

Form-Specific Visual Priming in the Left and Right Hemispheres

Word fragment completion performance was examined for items that were presented in the same or different letter case at study and test. During the study phase words and nonwords were presented at central fixation, then during the test phase a divided visual field technique was used in which word fragments were presented briefly to the right hemisphere (left visual field) or the left hemisphere (right visual field). Previous research using the word stem completion task indicated that only the right hemisphere was sensitive to case changes in words from study to test. In contrast, the current results indicate that in the fragment completion task the priming effects for the test items presented to either hemisphere were greater when the fragments were in the same compared to different letter case at study and test. These results indicate that both hemispheres are capable of supporting form-specific visual implicit memory.     

Early Caregiver–Child Interaction and Children’s Development: Lessons from the St. Petersburg-USA Orphanage Intervention Research Project

Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review - We review a series of interrelated studies on the development of children residing in institutions (i.e., orphanages) in the Russian Federation or...     

Book reviews

Smith, L. D. (1986). Behaviorism and logical positivism: A reassessment of the alliance. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press. Pp. ix + 398. ISBN 0-8047-13014. $42.50.

Schusterman, R. J., Thomas, J. A., & Wood, F. G. (Eds.). (1986). Dolphin cognition and behavior: A comparative approach. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc. Pp. xv + 393. ISBN 0-89859-5940. Paperback, £17.00.

Rauschecker, J. P. & Marler, P. (Eds.). (1987). Zmprinting and cortical plasticity: Comparative aspects of sensitive periods. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Pp. 377. ISBN 0-471-84368-7. £57.50.

Walker, S. (1987). Animal learning: An introduction. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. Pp. 426. ISBN 0-7102-0482-5; hardback, £20.00. ISBN 0-7102-1152-X; paperback, £10.95.

Gray, J. A. (1987). The psychology of fear and stress (second edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Pp. X+422. ISBN 0521-24958-9 (hardback). £42.50. ISBN 0521-27098-7 (paperback). £1 5.00.     

Predicting adolescent eating and activity behaviors: the role of social norms and personal agency.

Guided by the theory of planned behavior, this 2-week longitudinal study examined health behaviors in a sample of 279 adolescents. Social norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) were tested as predictors of self-reported intentions and behaviors in 2 domains, eating and physical activity. Differentiating, as opposed to aggregating, parent and peer norms provided unique information. For PBC, the authors distinguished global causality beliefs from self-related agency beliefs and intraself (effort, ability) from extraself (parents, teachers) means. Intraself agency beliefs strongly predicted healthy intentions, whereas intraself causality beliefs had a negative influence. Patterns differed somewhat across behaviors and gender. Results highlight theoretical issues and provide potential targets for research on health promotion programs for youth.     

The Moderating Effect of Trainee Implicit Beliefs on the Relationship between Cognitive Modeling Orientation and Training Outcomes

Two studies investigated the interactive effects of trainees’ dispositional implicit theory of ability (entity versus incremental) and the use of a promotion versus prevention orientation during the cognitive modeling component of training in the use of a problem‐solving technique. The dependent variables were trainees’ self‐reported behavioral intentions (Study 1) and performance (Study 2), which was assessed by two independent judges following the training program and in a 1‐month follow‐up in the use of the problem‐solving technique. As predicted, entity theorists were more responsive to the social cues contained in the promotion and prevention orientations during the cognitive modeling of the problem‐solving technique. As a result, a promotion orientation produced stronger behavioral intentions (Study 1) and performance (Study 2) than a prevention orientation for entity theorists but not for incremental theorists. The results point to the need to understand the implicit theories of trainees, particularly those who have an entity theory of ability, and for trainers to adopt a strong promotion orientation in their presentation of materials. Trainers who stress the avoidance of errors and overemphasise the importance of performance may unwittingly undermine the intentions and performance of those who have doubts about the efficacy of the training. Deux recherches ont porté sur l’interaction chez des sujets en formation des conséquences de la théorie implicite des capacités dont chacun dispose (stables ou amendables) et de l’orientation vers la prudence ou le progrès lors de la modélisation cognitive dans l’utilisation d’une technique de résolution de problèmes. Les variables dépendantes étaient les intentions comportementales rapportées par les stagiaires (Recherche n? 1) et la performance (Recherche n° 2) évaluée par deux juges indépendants à la fin du programme de formation et un mois plus tard. Comme prévu, les partisans des capacités stables étaient plus sensibles aux signes sociaux présents dans les orientations prudence ou progrès lors de l’élaboration cognitive de la technique de résolution de problèmes. Une orientation vers le progrès était à l’origine d’intentions comportementales plus affirmées (Recherche n? 1) et d’une meilleure performance (Recherche n? 2) pour les tenants de la stabilité des capacités, mais pas pour ceux qui pensaient que les capacités pouvaient être améliorées. Ces résultats montrent qu’il est indispensable de prendre en considération les théories implicites des stagiaires, et plus particulièrement de ceux qui pensent que les capacités sont figées. Quant aux formateurs, il leur faut adopter une orientation fortement axée sur le progrès dans leur présentation des contenus. Les formateurs qui insistent sur l’évitement des erreurs et exagèrent l’importance de la performance peuvent involontairement nuire aux intentions et aux résultats de ceux qui doutent de l’efficacité de la formation.