Exploring the neural basis of tool observation in children with intellectual disabilities

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K11544
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59030:Physical education, and physical and health education-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Gakugei University
• Principal Investigator: HIRATA Shogo 東京学芸大学, 教育学部, 准教授 (10721772)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 鈴木 浩太 四天王寺大学, 教育学部, 講師 (20637673)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 知的障害 / 道具操作 / 観察学習 / 知的発達症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to elucidate the impact of observing tools and others' actions on the behavior of children with intellectual disabilities. The series of measurements revealed the following results: 1) Children with intellectual disabilities showed difficulties in learning based on observation, yet they excessively imitated actions in specific tasks. 2) Longitudinal age measurements revealed that there is a period during which children with intellectual disabilities exhibit the closing-in phenomenon in block construction, where they place blocks closely following the model constructed by an adult.

Free Research Field

身体教育学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、知的障害児における道具や他者動作の観察に基づく学習の困難を明らかにする一方で、動作の模倣が生じやすい課題があることを明らかにした。また、知的障害児において、他者動作よりも目の前の道具から引き起こされる反応が優勢に現れる時期があることも明らかにした。これらの研究結果は、知的障害児の心理特性に新たな光を当てると共に、今後の支援方法を考える上でも重要である。