Used two tapping tasks to determine whether individual infants' right- or left-hand preference for unimanual and bimanual tapping corresponded to their handedness in bimanual manipulation tasks during the second year of life. Also examined whether manual tapping preference occurred before or after the onset of bimanual handedness. (JMB)

Identifies a coordinative structure of action that integrates hand and mouth activities within hours after birth. Found that presenting neonates with a sucrose solution focused gross motor patterns of hand movement on the oral and perioral regions. (SKC)

To test for interhemispheric difficulties associated with dyslexia, this study assessed bimanual coordination in dyslexic and nondisabled boys using an Etch-a-Sketch-like task. Dyslexics showed significant impairments on mirror movements, and often unknowingly reverted to parallel movements when visual feedback was removed. (RH)

Investigates whole body stiffness as a function of developmental level in the hopping of seven children of four-eight years. Proposes that stiffness may be a key parameter that is controlled by the central nervous system when children hop. (RJC)

Studied effects of changing internal and external constraints on the development of jumping in children of three, five, seven, and nine years, and adults. Results revealed no differences in the pattern of coordination for jumping. Differences were found in the position and magnitude variables. (RJC)

Studied neonatal imitative responses in the first hour postpartum of 12 infants in rural Nepal. Found that the newborns were able to imitate pursed lips and widened lips, which suggests that imitative capacity is present at birth. (SKC)

The early psychomotor development (DQ) of 29 term small-for-gestational-age Brazilian infants was shown to be more dependent on postnatal growth than the DQ of 51 term appropriate-for-gestational-age infants. (Author/RH)

Discusses the history of the study of motor behavior. Briefly reviews the contents of the November 1989 issue of "Developmental Psychology." (RJC)

Discusses general developmental principles which have emerged from studies in motor development. (RJC)

Following nutritional recovery from severe protein-calorie deficiency, 20 young children evidenced a retarded level of categorization behavior compared to a control group of 19 adequately nourished children from similar socioeconomic background. (NH)

Analyzes the development of the skill of eating with a spoon in 16 infants of 12-23 months. Discusses the acquisition of a tool-using skill in terms of the emergence of strategies for solving particular problems and the consistency and reliability with which they are deployed. (RJC)

Investigated postural constraints on movement of 15 6-month-old infants. Results suggested that each of the developing capabilities of orienting, reaching, and kicking assumed a specific function for locomotion at the stage of crawling. (RJC)

Results of a study of 68 infants of 5-14 months revealed that partial optical flow is generally sufficient for inducing postural compensations, but the amplitude and consistency of the response depend on the location of the flow in the optic array. (RJC)

Found that individual differences in children's preference for same-sex peers were (1) derived from liking same-sex peers rather than disliking other-sex peers; (2) consistent over long intervals; and (3) related to children's preference for activities that required gross motor skills. (BC)