Deceptively Simple: The Perceptual-Motor and Social Factors in Children's Learning of the Designed Actions of Objects

• In Event: How Children Learn the Everyday Designed Artifacts of their Culture

Abstract

Many cultural artifacts require specific actions to use as their designers intended. Despite the ease with which adults twist open bottles, pull open lids, and unzip jackets, designed actions are not obvious to children and must be discovered to perform the activities of daily living. Previous work identified a developmental progression in learning designed actions––from non-designed exploratory actions, to display of the designed action, to successful implementation. However, performing the designed action did not guarantee successful implementation because children must both know what to do and have the motor skills to execute them. In four studies, we investigated how children learn the designed actions of everyday artifacts (twisting/pulling container lids; unzipping pouches, interlocking Duplo bricks) in real time and across development and examined the perceptual-motor and social factors that influence learning.

Studies 1 and 2 examined 135 children’s (12-60 months) free play behaviors with a zipper pouch or Duplo bricks. We conducted a task analysis of each object and micro-coded children’s behaviors to show that developmental change can be observed in children’s real-time behaviors (Figure 1). In addition, both artifacts required complex motor behaviors such as role-differentiated bimanual coordination, managing opposing forces, alignment, and precision that had to be completed at the correct time and location. Thus, non-obvious object properties and perceptual-motor challenges hinder discovery and implementation of designed actions, and children must overcome both to obtain the intended benefits of everyday objects.

Study 3 examined the role of perceptual feedback in children’s learning. We tested 92 20- to 60-month-old children with a series of twist-off containers that (1) either opened by conventionally twisting to the left or unconventionally twisting to the right; (2) endlessly twisted to the left or right, but never opened; and (3) “stuck” lids that did not twist or open. Preliminary results show that both younger and older children opened the conventional left-twist containers (M=82%), but only older children used perceptual feedback (lid tightening to the left) to adjust their actions and successfully open the unconventional right-twist containers (M=53%). Children persisted longer with twistable lids than stuck lids, t(27)=2.21, p=.04, and most switched to alternative strategies (e.g., shaking, banging) with stuck lids. Findings suggest that children adjust their actions based on perceptual feedback, and older children override habitual behaviors when presented with conflicting perceptual information.

Study 4 examined social factors that influence children’s learning. We encouraged 74 mothers to teach their 12- to 36-month-old children to open containers with twist-off and pull-off lids. Preliminary results show that mothers’ manual information decreased with children’s age, rs> -.59, ps<.001. Mothers provided information about the designed action when children only touched the container (M=50%), but mothers did not provide information about implementation when children displayed the designed twisting or pulling action but were unsuccessful (M=11%). Findings suggest that difficulty teaching the implementation of designed actions may contribute to the prolonged developmental progression of children’s learning.

Findings from these four studies provide insights into the complex processes involved in children’s learning to use the artifacts of their culture.

Authors

• Brianna Kaplan, New York University
  Presenting Author

• Jaya Rachwani, City University of New York Hunter College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Catherine S Tamis-Lemonda, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Karen E Adolph, New York University
  Non-Presenting Author