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The figure below shows how two infants track a moving visual target. In each subplot, the smooth
sinusoidal curve indicates how the direction of the visual target changes over time. The other curve is
the infant's head direction (top row), eye direction relative to the head (middle row), or gaze
direction (bottom row). Which of the following statements about the infants' ages best reflects the
typical development of visual tracking? ✔Correct Answer-Infant A is about 5 months old, whereas
Infant B is about 2 months old.
What is the term for a fast short-duration (20−40 ms) eye movement? ✔Correct Answer-saccade
Which of the following statements about motor redundancy is NOT true? ✔Correct Answer-During
the development of a motor behavior such as visual tracking, initially the individual uses all the DOF
of a motor behavior. Later as more skillful behavior develops, some DOF are frozen.
When is it necessary to keep the center of mass over the base of support in order to maintain
balance? ✔Correct Answer-for static balance, but not for dynamic balance
How is the concept of constraints related to the development of postural control and balance?
✔Correct Answer-The development of body systems, such as the muscular and nervous systems, are
individual constraints for the development of postural control and balance.
The development of postural control and balance constrains the development of other motor
behaviors, such as reaching and grasping.
Which of the following is typically true for the control of head movements in infants? ✔Correct
Answer-During the first few months after birth, an important constraint on head control is the
weakness of an infant's neck muscles.
During the first few months after birth, if an infant in a supine position is pulled by the arms into a
sitting position, the head will lag behind the trunk.
At birth, an infant in a prone position is unable to lift their head off the floor.
Which of the following describes direction-specific responses of an infant sitting on a platform that
can be moved in the horizontal direction? ✔Correct Answer-none
Consider the typical development of direction-specific responses for standing during the
fundamental motor patterns (FMP) period. Which of the following best describes responses to a
forward movement of the support surface? ✔Correct Answer-The tibialis anterior and
gastrocnemius muscles both respond early during the FMP period. The response of the
gastrocnemius muscle becomes weaker later during the FMP period.
In the study of Inglin & Woollacott (1988) on anticipatory postural adjustments, young adults and
older adults were asked to push or pull on a stationary vertical structure as rapidly and strongly as
possible when one of two lights turned on. Which of the following best describes observed
differences between young adults and older adults when pulling? ✔Correct Answer-Both young
adults and older adults activated their gastrocnemius muscle before their biceps muscle. However,
the latency (time delay) from gastrocnemius activation to biceps activation was greater for the older
adults.