HOW ACTION AFFECTS VISUAL PERCEPTION IN THE DEVELOPING MIND

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between action and object perception in children. In the study, data from 12 children were collected and analyzed. On each trial, the children were asked to perform either whole-hand grasps (moving tennis balls) or pinch grasps (moving bouncy balls), and then interpret an ambiguous object that could either be seen as a large object (requiring a whole-hand grasp) or a small object (requiring a pinch grasp). The time taken to complete tasks using different types of balls was also recorded as a measure of gross and fine motor skills. The hypothesis was that children would show a bias towards interpreting ambiguous objects as large, due to their more developed whole-hand actions at the preschool stage compared to fine motor pinch actions. It was also predicted that performing an action would shift this bias in a way that is congruent with the type of grasp performed, and that the effect of performing action on perception would be stronger in children with better gross and fine motor skills. Children's interpretations of the objects did not significantly depend on grasp type, although there was a trend in the predicted direction. However, the children produced marginally more large object interpretations compared to small object interpretations. There was a trend toward a positive relationship between the motor capability of the child and the strength of the effect of action on object perception, but this trend was not significant in this sample. Overall, the results of the study did not support the hypothesis that action would influence object perception in children. More work is needed to better understand the development of the relationship between action and object perception.