The integration of body movement and attention in young infants

The normal development of adaptive behavior in humans depends on the integr ation of visual attention and body movement, yet little is known about the initial state of movement-attention coupling at the beginning of postnatal life. We studied 1- and 3-month-old infants during extended periods of visu al exploration and found that spontaneous shifts of gaze are preceded by ra pid changes in general body movement. The results reveal a tight link betwe en motor activation and overt attention on a time scale of seconds or less. This link undergoes substantial developmental change in the first few week s after birth. During that time, phasic motor activation may play a key rol e in visual exploration by helping to unlock gaze when the environment is u nchanging.