PSYC 101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Primitive Reflexes
Document Summary
Thelen, the relaionship between physical growth and a newborn relex. Rapid period of growth during irst few months of life. Newborn stepping relex- when infants held upright, they will make a well-coordinated movement resembling walking, but this disappears ater a few months. Tradiionally thought to stop because of maturaion of cortex which overrides primiive relex. Zelazo found that having newborns pracice this stepping daily increased frequency of behavior (did not disappear) and they began walking a month earlier than controls. Said stepping relex was lost because on disuse. New alternaive explanaion is that disappearance is caused by natural physical growth. Kicking moion does not regress like stepping even though they follow same patern. Stepping requires more muscle because they have to lit legs against gravity, less strain when kicking because their weight is parially supported.
