Journal article
Observing and producing gesture on shape categorization across learner characteristics
Journal of experimental child psychology, Vol.263, 106420
03/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106420
PMID: 41275579
Abstract
•Children increased shape categorization skills regardless of gestural cuing.•Improvement in this task seemed to draw upon varied skills and experiences.•Amount of improvement was related to age and receptive vocabulary.•Girls trended toward unique benefit linked with observing and producing gesture.
Interindividual differences related to factors like sex and family socioeconomic background in spatial ability emerge early. Embedding task-specific tracing into instruction has the potential to support early spatial abilities but must be considered relative to child characteristics and existing problem-solving strategies. Aims were to: 1) evaluate whether adding observed or observed and produced tracing to instruction improved learning of shape identification compared to spoken instruction alone; 2) determine whether performance at pretest and posttest varied as a function of child characteristics; and 3) examine how spoken and gestured problem-solving strategies changed from pretest to posttest and related to both posttest performance and condition. We also assessed the extent to which change in performance varied based upon child characteristics and problem-solving strategy use. In this study, 121 children between 44 and 72 months received brief instruction regarding triangle and rectangle shape properties. Children were divided among three conditions: 1) no tracing or gesture accompanying spoken instruction; 2) task-specific gesture observed alongside instruction; and 3) task-specific gesture observed and produced during instruction. Results indicated that children across all three conditions improved on a shape sorting task. Improvement related to age and receptive vocabulary but not condition. There were trends towards differences associated with sex as well, with girls showing a benefit associated with observing and producing gesture while boys showed equivalent performance across conditions. These findings suggest gesture is not a panacea for supporting early spatial learning. Instead, the effects of instructional cuing likely depend on child characteristics and task context.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Observing and producing gesture on shape categorization across learner characteristics
- Creators
- Nicole M. Hendrix - Emory University School of MedicineSusan Wagner Cook - Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USAKristen N. Missall - University of Washington
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental child psychology, Vol.263, 106420
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jecp.2025.106420
- PMID
- 41275579
- NLM abbreviation
- J Exp Child Psychol
- ISSN
- 0022-0965
- eISSN
- 1096-0457
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Grant note
- University of Iowa DeLTA CenterSociety for Research in Child Development Student and Early Career CouncilSociety for the Study of School Psychology
We would like to acknowledge the school administrators, teachers, and families without whom this work would not be possible. We would also like to thank research team members Cindy Kim, Yuchen Liu, Mingjia Ma, and Marina Reynolds. Lastly, this work was funded by the University of Iowa DeLTA Center, Society for Research in Child Development Student and Early Career Council, and Society for the Study of School Psychology.
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/2026
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9985034930702771
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