THE BEHAVIOR PATTERN OF THROWING AND SOME OBSERVATIONS
CONCERNING ITS COURSE OF DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN
Monica R, Wild
Professor of Physical Education and Head of Department
of Physical Education for Women, Iowa State Teachers College

A, The Problem

An interest in the genetic foundations and growth of the motor activities
comnon to the play forms of children in general and of throwing behavior in
particular stimulated this study. The main problem was to determine how
children of successive age levels use their bodies when executing a hard over-
hand throw. Four specific objectives were: 1) To study particularly the
hard overhand throw as a special but commonly used type, 2) To discover age
characteristics in manner of throwing, 3) To discover sex differences in
manner of throwing, 4) Ina general way to study the development of throwing
behavior in children of ages two to twelve,
B, Sources of Data and Methods of Procedure

Thirty-two carefully selected children, a boy and a girl at each six-months'!
age level from two to seven years and at each year level from seven to twelve
years, were the reactors, They were selected because each had achieved normal
development in four significant phases of child growth; had homogeneous home
and school environment conducive to good health and normal play life; were
right-handed. The children attended the preschools, elementary, and junior
high schools of the University of Iowa, This professional courtesy was
generously extended to the University of Wisconsin.

Observation of nursery school children served ts define the problem and
to determine the experimental procedure. Data were secured by motion pic-
turese Ina carefully arranged throwing field including distance scale marks

and electric clock, each reactor executed three hard overhand throws for