The aim of the thesis is to offer a comprehensive account of the developmental course of hand-mouth (HM) coordination from birth until a mature form of the coordination is attained. Questions relating both to the structure and function of the coordination were addressed. Three studies are reported. The method of observation was the same in each case; video records of two perpendicular views of the infant were obtained and a micro-analysis of movement structure was carried out. The main question addressed in study 1 was whether spontaneous HM contacts in newborns are related to hunger. HM contacts were compared before and after feeding in a group of newborn babies. There was no change in the relative distribution of locations of contacts on the mouth and face before and after feeding, but anticipatory mouth opening prior to HM contacts only occurred before feeding. Study 2 sought to obtain detailed measures of transitions taking place between 1-5 months in the structure of HM coordination, and to investigate what factors could be responsible for the changes observed. A longitudinal design was employed where babies were observed at monthly intervals. A small object was placed in the hands of infants to promote oral contacts. At 4 months of age, contacts began to be centred on the mouth (as opposed to other parts of the face) and the frequency of contacts was significantly higher when the object was present relative to the frequency of spontaneous contacts. Anticipatory mouth opening only occurred at 5 months of age, suggesting that this aspect of the coordination follows a U-shaped developmental trajectory. There was evidence that vision was playing a role in motivating HM contacts by 5 months of age. Consistent individual differences between babies were found in different aspects of HM coordination raising the possibility that more than one developmental route is followed in the achievement of mature HM coordination. Study 3 investigated HM coordination cross-sectionally between the ages of 5-9 months. The possibility that the development of reaching was influencing the development of HM coordination was investigated. Two situations were compared, one where the infant had to reach for an object prior to transportation to the mouth and another where the object was placed in the hand of the infant. Although HM coordination and reaching and grasping were already integrated at 5 months, the two coordinations appear to develop independently of each other. The development of HM coordination was found to be marked by motivational and structural shifts and apparent regressions. The results are interpreted within a dynamic systems view of development.

published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

M.Com. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Orientador: Eliane Mauerberg de Castro / Banca: José Lino Oliveira Bueno / Banca: Silvia Deutsch / Banca: Afonso Antonio Machado / Banca: Yara Aparecida Couto / Resumo: Diferentes experiências rítmicas podem influenciar funções psicoacústicas durante a reprodução de estruturas rítmicas. A periodicidade do pulso é um elemento básico, presente no ritmo musical, unido ao agrupamento de eventos sucessivos e que é essencial à compreensão e interpretação de estruturas de sequências sonoras. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos da experiência musical no campo da dança e da música no padrão perceptivo-motor de reprodução de estruturas rítmicas monotônicas e musicais organizadas em tarefas com crescente complexidade. Foram selecionados previamente 60 adultos jovens para compor três grupos: 1) grupo com experiência com ritmo constituído por músicos (MU; n = 20); 2) grupo com experiência com ritmo constituído de dançarinos (DA; n = 20); e 3) grupo sem experiência profissional com música e dança (SE; n = 20). Os três grupos realizaram dois testes psicoacústicos rítmicos: o primeiro, um teste de percepção e reprodução de estruturas rítmicas monotônicas que consistia em ouvir a um estímulo rítmico e reproduzi-lo imediatamente, e o segundo, um teste de percepção e reprodução de estruturas rítmicas musicais, em que a sequência rítmica apresentada é reproduzida simultaneamente à escuta. As variáveis analisadas incluíram frequência de acertos (FA) para ambos os testes, regularidade temporal (RT) do tempo de início da resposta (s), duração (s) dos pulsos e pausas de cada estrutura rítmica para o teste monotônico. E no teste musical a variável sincronismo (SINC) foi verificada pela diferença relativa (%) entre a estrutura temporal do teste e a estrutura temporal da resposta. Os valores SINC foram subdivididos em desvio temporal do pulso e desvio temporal da pausa (componentes psicoacústicos rítmicos). Os resultados ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Different rhythmic experiences can influence psychoacoustic functions during the reproduction of rhythmic structures. The frequency of the pulse is a basic element in the musical rhythm and the grouping of successive events are essential to the understanding and interpretation of sound sequences. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of musical experience in the field of dance and music on perceptive-motor pattern of monotonic rhythm and musical rhythm with structures organized into tasks with increasing complexity. Sixty young adults were selected to comprise three groups: 1) group with experience with rhythm consisting of musicians (MU; n = 20); 2) group with experience with rhythm consisting of dancers (DA; n = 20); and 3) group without experience with music or dance (SE; n = 20). The three groups performed two tests: the first test of perception and reproduction of monotonic rhythmic structures that were responded immediately after their presentation; the second test required perception and synchronization of tapping to musical rhythmic structures. The variables we examined included frequency of correct performance (FA) in both tests, temporal regularity (RT) of initiation of the response, duration of pulses and pauses of each rhythmic structure for monotonic test. In the musical test timing (SINC) was verified using the relative difference (%) between the temporal structure of the test and the temporal structure of the response. The values SINC were subdivided into temporal deviation of pulse and pause (psychoacoustic rhythmic components). The results were divided in: 1- Effects of musical experience and nature of monotonic rhythm and musical rhythm tests on rhythm perception, 2 - Memory effects on temporal rhythmic regularity, and 3 - Perceptual-motor pattern of rhythm synchronization. The results showed differences between the groups with and without ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2007. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 75-81). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR32025

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Gershon Tenenbaum, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 15, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 152-181).

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-94).

published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

published_or_final_version / Psychology / Master / Master of Philosophy