Cultural Diversity in Infant Motor Development: A Comparison of Early Locomotor Experience

Most of the research on infant motor development is based on studies with infants and caregivers living in urban and western societies, which is problematic from a scientific and ethical perspective. Both ethnographic descriptions as well as a handful of empirical investigations across diverse cultural contexts indicate there may be significant variability in early motor experience across cultures. To better understand whether differences in early experience are linked to motor development, we observed 52 12-month olds ( SD = .66) with their caregivers in three cultural contexts: Tanna (ni-Vanuatu; N = 9), Aka (Central African Republic; N = 10), and rural villages in Tajikistan ( N = 33). We coded the videos to determine the duration of time infants spent restricted, the time they engaged in spontaneous movement, and the ways in which they were restriction. When unrestricted, infants spent similar proportions of time exploring their environment through locomotion across the three cultural groups. However, Tajik infants were restricted from movement more than infants in Vanuatu and the Aka community. Restriction duration did not correlate with infants’ movement duration. Notably, Tajik caregivers primarily used devices for restriction, while ni-Vanuatu and Aka caregivers relied on holding. These variations in parental choices and how they shape children’s early environments provide insights into how caregiving practices influence the context of motor development across cultures. While previous studies highlight direct parenting practices’ influence on motor development, our findings suggest indirect practices may shape movement opportunities.