Developmental sequence in the acquisition of anticipation during a new co-ordination in a bimanual load-lifting task in children.

The aim of this experiment was to test the capacity of children to develop anticipation at various stages of their growth. We studied the learning process of an artificial co-ordination by means of a procedure of double unloading in two groups of children, and a group of adults. Elbow-joint angle measurement was used to assess for the improvement of the forearm stabilization through the six learning sessions. The main results report a developmental sequence of the acquisition of anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) similar to the one established for the ontogenesis of APA. A difference in learning dynamics, but also in the final level of performance, is reported between children aged 5-6 and children aged 7-8 years. The improvement occurring at the age of 7 years probably indicates maturation of internal representations, favourable to the faster setting up of operational anticipated control. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd.