The role of multisensory integration in child development: Perception, cognition, and action

Multisensory integration (MSI) is a cornerstone of human development, essential for how children perceive, interact with, and understand the world. This review proposes that the developmental trajectory of MSI is characterized by asynchronous maturation of the different sensory systems and motor abilities, which together influence key developmental domains. We organize this trajectory through a loose three-stage model: an initial reliance on low-level spatiotemporal statistics, a gradual emergence of reliability-weighted cue combination, and a later, asynchronous emergence of Bayesian causal inference. We apply this framework to six domains, body representation, sensorimotor integration, spatial navigation, object recognition, speech and language, and higher-order functions, and contrast it with alternative accounts (modality-specific maturation, two-streams, core-knowledge, and dynamic systems). A predictions table operationalizes the empirical signatures expected at each stage and identifies what would adjudicate among the alternatives. We close by discussing implications for interventions and educational practices that leverage MSI principles, including immersive technologies that may support and enhance developmental outcomes.