The acquisition process of tableware stabilization in early tool-eating

Abstract

Through longitudinal observation of feeding during the weaning period, we clarified the process by which children acquire the ability to manipulate tableware. Mealtime was conceptualized as an environment reflecting adult intentions (the field of promoted action). Children’s two-handed use of a spoon and other tableware was analyzed with respect to their independent participation, the coordination of the two tools, and the types of tools used. Our findings indicate that children’s hand shapes differed from those instructed by adults, with only the fingertips contacting the tableware, and hand configuration varied considerably. When interpreted using grasp classification, the hand shapes appeared to be optimized for precise movements. Therefore, when one hand was placed on a piece of tableware other than the spoon, it functioned in coordination with the spoon rather than to stabilize the tableware. The process of acquiring tableware manipulation cannot be explained solely by adult-directed canalization; rather, children appear to regulate their actions in response to the environmental context.