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What is motor development? The lessons of history

What is motor development? The lessons of history
What is motor development? The lessons of history
Recently the definition of motor development seems to have engendered a debate among a number of scholars in the field. We suggest that the controversy stems from confusion about whether motor development is a product or a process. When motor development is defined as change over time in motor behavior, the focus is on motor performance (i.e., product), whereas when motor development is defined as a process, the emphasis is on the underlying mechanisms of change. Clearly, the proper definition of motor development includes both the product and process of change. Through an historical overview of the field, we trace the origins of this definitional confusion and its impact on the study of motor development. The paper concludes with our position as to the future directions for motor development research
0033-6297
183-202
Clark, Jane E.
d5c0297c-431e-4880-b61c-b87d7611f3cb
Whitall, Jill
9761aefb-be80-4270-bc1f-0e726399376e
Clark, Jane E.
d5c0297c-431e-4880-b61c-b87d7611f3cb
Whitall, Jill
9761aefb-be80-4270-bc1f-0e726399376e

Clark, Jane E. and Whitall, Jill (1989) What is motor development? The lessons of history. Quest, 41 (3), 183-202. (doi:10.1080/00336297.1989.10483969).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Recently the definition of motor development seems to have engendered a debate among a number of scholars in the field. We suggest that the controversy stems from confusion about whether motor development is a product or a process. When motor development is defined as change over time in motor behavior, the focus is on motor performance (i.e., product), whereas when motor development is defined as a process, the emphasis is on the underlying mechanisms of change. Clearly, the proper definition of motor development includes both the product and process of change. Through an historical overview of the field, we trace the origins of this definitional confusion and its impact on the study of motor development. The paper concludes with our position as to the future directions for motor development research

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Published date: 1989
Organisations: Faculty of Health Sciences

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Local EPrints ID: 360702
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/360702
ISSN: 0033-6297
PURE UUID: 81008065-a55e-461e-9700-0d299d093a83

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Date deposited: 19 Dec 2013 10:15
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 15:41

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Contributors

Author: Jane E. Clark
Author: Jill Whitall

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