Short answer
Designers should consider the natural communicative abilities of very young users, recognizing that they can convey meaning through gestures that represent actions, and that these gestures can be innovative.
- Field
- User-Centred Design
- Source
- Gesture (2023)
- Method
- Longitudinal video analysis of naturalistic interactions.
- Sample
- 5 infants
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Infants as young as 12 months begin to produce iconic gestures, predominantly representing actions, which emerge organically within natural interactions rather than solely through imitation. This user-centred design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Gesture. Using Longitudinal video analysis of naturalistic interactions. with 5 infants, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should consider the natural communicative abilities of very young users, recognizing that they can convey meaning through gestures that represent actions, and that these gestures can be innovative.
Infants develop iconic gestures between 12-20 months, primarily depicting actions.
Infants as young as 12 months begin to produce iconic gestures, predominantly representing actions, which emerge organically within natural interactions rather than solely through imitation.
Gesture · 2023
Key Findings
- 01Infants produced their first iconic gesture between 12 and 20 months of age.
- 02The majority of these gestures depicted actions.
- 03Gestures were often produced independently of adult models, showing innovation.
- 04Infants used more object-in-hand gestures than empty-hand gestures for transitive actions.
- 05Infants used more imagined-object gestures than body-part-as-object gestures.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should consider the natural communicative abilities of very young users, recognizing that they can convey meaning through gestures that represent actions, and that these gestures can be innovative.
How to apply
When designing for infants or toddlers, consider how visual or interactive elements can map onto common action-based gestures they might produce, such as reaching, pointing, or miming actions.
Project actions
- 01Observe how young children interact with objects and try to identify if they use gestures to communicate their intentions or actions.
- 02Consider designing a toy or app that responds to simple, action-based gestures.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Naturalistic observation captures authentic behavior.
- +Longitudinal approach tracks development over time.
Limitations
It's hard to definitively say if a gesture is truly 'iconic' or if the infant is simply imitating a learned behavior. The sample size is small.
Reliability & validity
Reliability could be enhanced by having multiple coders independently identify gestures. Validity is supported by the naturalistic setting but could be strengthened by experimental manipulation to test specific hypotheses about gesture production.
Think critically
How might the cultural context or the specific interactional environment influence the types of iconic gestures an infant develops and uses?
Design Principles
"Support emergent user communication modalities."
Understanding the developmental timeline and nature of early gestural communication provides crucial insights into how users, even at the earliest stages of development, convey meaning and interact with their environment. This knowledge can inform the design of more intuitive and responsive interfaces for young children, educational tools, and assistive technologies.
What This Means for Your Design
Babies start making gestures that look like what they mean (like pretending to drink) when they are about 1 to 1.5 years old. They often invent these gestures themselves and use them to show actions.
How to use in your project
- 1.Reference this study when discussing the developmental stages of user interaction and communication, particularly for early childhood design projects.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
Research indicates that infants develop iconic gestures, primarily depicting actions, between 12 and 20 months of age. These gestures often emerge independently and show innovation, highlighting the user's inherent representational abilities even at a young age. This suggests that design for this demographic should consider supporting and responding to these nascent communicative forms.
Source
Gesture
Infants can create iconic gestures during natural interactions with caregivers
journal · 2023
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about infants develop iconic gestures between 12-20 months, primarily depicting actions?
- Designers should consider the natural communicative abilities of very young users, recognizing that they can convey meaning through gestures that represent actions, and that these gestures can be innovative. Evidence: Gesture (2023).
- Why does "Infants develop iconic gestures between 12-20 months, primarily depicting actions." matter for design?
- Understanding the developmental timeline and nature of early gestural communication provides crucial insights into how users, even at the earliest stages of development, convey meaning and interact with their environment. This knowledge can inform the design of more intuitive and responsive interfaces for young children, educational tools, and assistive technologies.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should consider the natural communicative abilities of very young users, recognizing that they can convey meaning through gestures that represent actions, and that these gestures can be innovative.
- What were the main findings?
- Infants produced their first iconic gesture between 12 and 20 months of age.. The majority of these gestures depicted actions.. Gestures were often produced independently of adult models, showing innovation.. Infants used more object-in-hand gestures than empty-hand gestures for transitive actions.
- What research method was used?
- Longitudinal video analysis of naturalistic interactions. with 5 infants.
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Gesture.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing for infants or toddlers, consider how visual or interactive elements can map onto common action-based gestures they might produce, such as reaching, pointing, or miming actions.
- What are the limitations?
- The study focused on English-speaking infants and a specific set of gestures; findings may vary across cultures and gesture types. The definition of 'iconic gesture' can be subjective.