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Goal Directed Behaviours: The Development of Pre-Natal Touch Behaviours

Reissland, Nadja; Austen, Joe

Goal Directed Behaviours: The Development of Pre-Natal Touch Behaviours Thumbnail


Authors

Joe Austen



Contributors

Daniela Corbetta
Editor

Marco Santello
Editor

Abstract

Through their general movements in the womb, human fetuses will touch various aspects of their environment. This might include their own bodies, the body of a twin, the uterine wall, and the umbilical cord. Somatosensory responses can be observed as early as 8 weeks gestational age (e.g., Bradley & Mistretta, 1975). Sparling and Wilhelm (1993) indicated that during the later gestational periods, the hands of the fetuses begin to be directed to, and manipulate, other parts of the body, such as feet or the other hand, and explore parts of the external environment in the womb, such as the umbilical cord. Castiello et al. (2010) observed that by 14 weeks gestation not only movements directed at the self but also movements directed to a co-twin can be observed in the womb. The effects of experiencing touch might be wide reaching in terms of fetal development and preparation for life outside of the womb. Touch behaviours will be discussed in terms of the fetal sensitivity to touch, the effects of touch on body movement, cross-cultural differences in fetal touch behaviour and general movement, fetal action planning and goal-directed action, and visually guided fetal touch. The chapter concludes with a discussion of prenatal touch behaviours and later development.

Citation

Reissland, N., & Austen, J. (2018). Goal Directed Behaviours: The Development of Pre-Natal Touch Behaviours. In D. Corbetta, & M. Santello (Eds.), Reach-to-grasp behavior : brain, behavior, and modelling across the life span (3-17). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429467875-1

Online Publication Date Aug 14, 2018
Publication Date Aug 14, 2018
Deposit Date Jul 30, 2018
Publicly Available Date Aug 14, 2019
Publisher Routledge
Pages 3-17
Series Title Frontiers of developmental science
Book Title Reach-to-grasp behavior : brain, behavior, and modelling across the life span.
ISBN 9781138683211
DOI https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429467875-1

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Copyright Statement
This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Reach-to-Grasp Behavior: Brain, Behavior, and Modelling Across the Life Span on 14 Aug 2018, available online: https://www.routledge.com/9781138683228.




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