Hand size underestimation grows during childhood.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_7E82FBEC198E
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Hand size underestimation grows during childhood.
Journal
Scientific reports
Author(s)
Cardinali L., Serino A., Gori M.
ISSN
2045-2322 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
2045-2322
Publication state
Published
Issued date
13/09/2019
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
9
Number
1
Pages
13191
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Cortical body size representations are distorted in the adult, from low-level motor and sensory maps to higher levels multisensory and cognitive representations. Little is known about how such representations are built and evolve during infancy and childhood. Here we investigated how hand size is represented in typically developing children aged 6 to 10. Participants were asked to estimate their hand size using two different sensory modalities (visual or haptic). We found a distortion (underestimation) already present in the youngest children. Crucially, such distortion increases with age and regardless of the sensory modality used to access the representation. Finally, underestimation is specific for the body as no bias was found for object estimation. This study suggests that the brain does not keep up with the natural body growth. However, since motor behavior nor perception were impaired, the distortion seems functional and/or compensated for, for proper interaction with the external environment.
Keywords
Body Image, Child, Female, Hand/anatomy & histology, Humans, Male, Nontherapeutic Human Experimentation, Organ Size, Printing, Three-Dimensional, Visual Perception
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
20/09/2019 23:13
Last modification date
23/04/2024 7:00
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