Walking skill versus walking experience as a predictor of barrier crossing in toddlers

• Published in: Infant behavior & development Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 331 - 350
• Main Authors: Kingsnorth, Shauna, Schmuckler, Mark A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.01.2000
• Subjects: Barrier crossing; Independent locomotion; Perception-action coupling; Independent locomotion; Barrier crossing; Perception-action coupling
• ISSN: 0163-6383; 1879-0453
• DOI: 10.1016/S0163-6383(01)00048-0

The aim of this study was to examine the roles of body size parameters, walking skill, and locomotor experience in determining the abilities of 14-, 18-, 24-, and 30-month-old toddlers to cross a barrier varying in height. Thresholds for barrier crossing were measured using a modified psychophysical staircase procedure, walking skill was assessed using a footprint analysis of gait, and locomotor experience via parental report. Overall, older children surpassed younger children in measures of body size, walking skill, locomotor experience, and crossing thresholds. Analyses relating the various body size, skill, and experiential parameters to crossing thresholds revealed that, replicating earlier findings, barrier crossing was most strongly related to walking experience. These findings are discussed in terms of the limitations of different forms of skill assessment as predictors of visually guided locomotor ability.