Children adapt drawing actions to their own motor variability and to the motivational context for action

Mohd Shukri, Siti Rohkmah Binti (2017). Children adapt drawing actions to their own motor variability and to the motivational context for action. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Children like to draw, but how easy is it for them to draw on a touch screen device? More specifically, how do children adapt the way that they draw to the device, to their own limitations and to the motivational context for action? Despite the fact that many children choose to draw on tablets there have been few studies of how they do so. Arguably tablets offer a more flexible drawing tool than paper and pencil but, on the other hand, there is some evidence that they also introduce some additional perceptual/motor difficulties for children. To answer this question, I conducted a series of laboratory experiments to examine how children aged between 4 to 11 years old adapt their drawing actions to their own motor variability and to extrinsic rewards. The thesis seeks a better understanding of the psychological process involved in drawing and drawing development in children given motivational factors. To this end it adopts a utility maximization approach to framing questions about drawing that derives its explanatory power from three components; ecology, utility and information processing mechanisms. The framework motivates theories that provide an explanatory and predictive account of children's adaptation of drawing strategies on a tablet, derived, in part, from the cognitive psychology of human movement control. The results indicate a developing sensitivity to utility and motor variability.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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