Effect of Visual Field Presentation on Action Planning (Estimating Reach) In Children

Abstract

In this article, the authors examined the effects of target information presented in different visual fields (lower, upper, central) on estimates of reach via use of motor imagery in children (5-11 years old) and young adults. Results indicated an advantage for estimating reach movements for targets placed in lower visual field (LoVF), with all groups having greater difficulty in the upper visual field (UpVF) condition, especially 5- and 7-year-olds. Complementing these results was an overall age-related increase in accuracy. Based in part on the equivalence hypothesis suggesting that motor imagery and motor planning and execution are similar, the findings support previous work of executed behaviors showing that there is a LoVF bias for motor skill actions of the hand. Given that previous research hints that the UpVF may be bias for visuospatial (perceptual) qualities, research in that area and its association with visuomotor processing (LoVF) should be considered.

The Floor Is Nearer than the Sky: How Looking Up or Down Affects Construal Level

“…This relationship between the lower visual field and the proximity of objects has resulted in visual tasks relevant for the perception of near objects being more accurately performed in the lower versus upper part of the visual field. That is, previous research has identified a lower visual field advantage for visually guided actions of the hand such as pointing, reaching, and grasping (Danckert and Goodale 2001;Gabbard and Cordova 2012;Krigolson and Heath 2006;Losier and Klein 2004).…”