Human Growth and Development / Unit 3 HGD 0334 worked example, 60 to 90 seconds
Motor Milestones Across Cultures
The idea
Motor development follows a similar sequence everywhere, but its timing depends on experience and culture. Infants in Tajikistan who spend long hours in gahvora cradles reach milestones later. In northern China, infants kept in sandbags for toileting sit, crawl and walk several months later. In western Kenya, infants given more practice sitting may sit independently earlier. After the Back to Sleep campaigns, infants sleeping on their backs reached some milestones later, and tummy time is associated with earlier sitting, standing and walking.
In practice
Three infants of the same age: one who has spent months in a cradle, one practising sitting daily, one lying mainly on the back.
Where people slip
The sequence stays the same while the timing moves. That is the dynamic systems view in action: practice and opportunity are part of the system that produces a milestone. On the exam, a question about culture changing when a skill appears, but not its order, is asking about experience.
Your place on the trail
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Unlocks
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