Scheduled for Research Consortium Interdisciplinary Poster Session, Thursday, April 14, 2005, 10:15 AM - 11:45 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area I


Gender Differences in Young Children's Throwing Patterns (Motor Behavior)

Clersida Garcia and Luis Garcia, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL

The literature consistently reports evidence of gender differences that favor boys in the development of throwing, (Langendorfer, 1980; Seefeldt and Haubenstricker,1982; Thomas and French, 1985; K.R. Nelson et at., 1991; J.D. Nelson et at., 1986; Butterfield and Loovis, 1993). These gender differences were reported using different analysis: Component approach (Roberton, 1983; Roberton and Langendorfer, 1980; Langendorfer, 1980; Langendorfer and Roberton, 2002), Total Body Approach (Seefeldt and Haubenstricker, 1982; Garcia and Garcia, 2002), and Meta-analysis (Thomas and French, 1985). In a study conducted by Garcia & Garcia, (2002) there were differences in the developmental levels of throwing, and differences in practice trial between boys and girls that favored the boys with almost 50 % more trials. In this investigation, a closer observation of changes in the throwing patterns of children took place over a period of two years. Developmental instruction was designed that addressed the different interaction styles of boys and girls (Garcia, 1994), as well as their levels of throwing development. Sixteen children eight boys and eight girls ages 2 to 7 years old at the beginning of the study, participated in this two-year study. Daily and weekly changes in the throwing patterns were examined and traced the actual course of individual developmental changes over time. The component approach (Roberton, 1977; 1978; 1982) was used for analysis of throwing. In contrast to previous studies, this study showed that all girls reached the most advance levels of throwing in all components (backswing, step, trunk, humerus and forearm). Similarly this study showed non-significant differences in the number of practices trials performed by boys and girls. The authors speculated that changes in instruction (modeling, motivation, encouragement and social interaction) were positively related to the girls’ performance of the most advanced levels of throwing and to the increased number of practice trials.


Keyword(s): early childhood, gender issues

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