Le développement de la capacité d’imagerie visuelle et kinesthésique chez l’enfant

Abstract

This study was an investigation into the development of imagery ability in children. A total of 120 elementary aged school children were divided equally into three groups of 40 on the basis of age. The three age groups consisted of children aged 6-7 years, 8-9 years, and 10-11 years. All 120 children were administered Hall and Pongrac’s (1983) Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ) to elicit information on their visual and kinesthetic imagery ability for movements. The results indicated that as children progress through school there is an improvement in both visual and kinesthetic imagery ability. That is, children find it easier to image movements as they get older. A distinction is made between imagery skill and imagery ability and the study’s results are discussed with reference to this distinction. The possibility of physical education activities developing children’s imagery ability is put forward and discussion centers on the role that nature and nurture play in the development of imagery ability.