Spoon handling in two- to four year old children

A method for the study of tool use is presented from the perspective of an ecological approach to perception and action. It is argued that the essence of tool use lies in the maintenance of a specific relation between the organism + tool complex and the environment. Control over the tool is subordinate to this aim. It is proposed that perturbations of the tool-environment relation reveal the essential dimensions of organism + tool complex. A simple experiment is reported in which children (n = 43) from 2 to 4 years of age were asked to use (I of 6) spoons to transport rice from 1 bucket to another. Perturbation of the tool-environment relation was introduced by manipulating the geometrical configuration of the spoons. The results indicated that all children indeed controlled the relation between tool and environment. They varied their grip such that the functional act of scooping was preserved. Hence, they perceived the new spoons in terms of its functional properties, its affordances. In addition, it was...

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