From
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, 1997
(Eveley and sons) New York, Volume 3.By
Danielle Michaux, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
An independent science firmly established in France,
psychomotricity is based on the interdependence of physical,
affective, and intellectual functions and thus covers a wide
field that encompasses neurology, pedagogy, and psychoanalysis.
Numerous scientific ideas from various disciplines have contributed
for more than a century to the elaboration of the concept of
psychomotricity. Near the end of the nineteenth century, scientific
achievements made it necessary to abandon Cartesian dualism,
which separated body and mind and led to a mechanistic approach
to the body. Instead, the integrated action of the nervous system
and its role in the regulation of the organism interacting with
its environment were stressed.
Neurophysiologists started to examine the bases of tonus and
movement (gamma loop and Renshaw recurrent circuit, cerebellum,
sub-cortical nuclei, neo-cortex, etc). Penfield's centre-encephalic
theory of motor adjustment (counter to traditional associationism)
underscored the importance of the basal centres and their integrating
role, and of the vertical cortical-sub cortical relationships.
Dupre’, a neurophsychiatrist, described the syndrome of
motor deficiency in relation to mental deficiency and compared
it with the immature state of newborn babies (limb hyper tonicity,
enuresis etc). For the first time, motricity and intelligence
were linked.
In "La naissance de l’ intelligence chez l’
enfant" (1936), Piaget stated
that the first stage in the development of intelligence is the
coordination of sensori-motor schemas (i.e. feeling and movement
systems such as suction, sight, pretension, etc) leading to
adaptations and assimilations that enable the individual to
reach a higher (preoperative) type of intelligence. Piaget's
ideas were developed further. De Ajuriaguerra showed that the
tonic state is used by the newborn baby as a mode of relation
(e.g. crying hyper tonicity, contentment hyper tonicity). A
structuring dialogue actually takes place between mother and
child. Wallon studied the relationship between motricity and
character (L’ enfant turbulent, 1925).
He described the body image (body scheme) as a progressive construction
involving all our perceptive, motor and affective experiences.
Phenomenology too, played a role in the coming about of psychomotricity.
It gave birth to the Gestalt theory, in which every physical
or psychological phenomenon is seen as an indivisible whole
known as the form. This theory helped shape the notions of body
schema, behaviour, and movement. According to Merleau-Ponty
and Buytendijk, the different types of behaviour are modalities
of the in-der-Welt-sein, i.e., of mind and body as they interact
continuously in the flow of life.
Thus, in the phenomenal world, body and mind were no longer
separated and psychomotricity could enter the field.
Psychoanalysis also contributed to the elaboration of the concept.
The body was defined as a scene of pleasure and psychic development
was divided into organic stages: oral, anal, phallic and genital.
Moreover, it was contended that an organic or perceptual-motor
function could be used effectively only if it had been effectively
invested. An emotional disorder can easily bring about physical
dysfunctions such as conversion hysteria or organic neurosis.
Reich stated that the social-emotional state of a person influences
his or her tonic state (tension rings).
The ethnology of the child also played a role. Montagner
gave a minute description of the child's behaviour in the nursery
and highlighted socio-affective correlations.
In France, psychomotricity was
recognized as a discipline in the early 1960's.
The first French Psychomotricity Charter (de Ajuriaguerra-Soubiran)
was promulgated and a curriculum was created. A trade union
and various publications came about.
As far as practice is concerned, a distinction is usually made
between education, remedial work and therapy. Psychomotricity
(Psychomotor) Education aims at stimulating a healthy child's
psychomotor functions. This concept is slowly spreading in nursery
schools. Remedial exercises aim at improving psychomotor symptomatology
through a reprogramming of the neuromotor sphere. Model lessons
by the well-known team of the Nenri-Rousselle Hospital in Paris
are available. Therapy aims at deblocking and developing the
disturbed child's psychic structures through bodily and relational
interaction with the therapist and mediatory objects.
According to Aucouturier,
technicity consists of working out sensorimotor pleasure and
treatment of aggressive and fantasmatic productions. These various
approaches are used primarily with children up to seven years
of age, when symbolizing processes enable them to dissociate
themselves from their bodily experiences. However, the concept
of Psychomotoricity applies in theory, to every stage of life.
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Social and affective development
1) Progress
in technology has resulted in worldwide changes, which have
consequently caused a fundamental transformation in living conditions
for human beings, particularly in childhood.
2) By crossing
both boards of psychological and motor development,
using close connection between physical well-being perception
and movement, and personality development, Psychomotor Education
plays a fundamental role in preparing the child for his/her
learning life.
3) By controlling
itself both emotionally and physically, the
child learns to be in charge of him/herself, becoming more and
more autonomous. He/she develops self-confidence and self-esteem,
self-respect and consequently respect of peers. Aggressive
behaviour drops and relationships become more harmonious.
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•
The “AUCOUTURIER Practice” is well known in Europe.
It is so called “relationship psychomotor education practice”(psychomotricite
relationnelle).
• The founder Bernard Aucouturier
has introduced this practice in the pre primary schools as a
preventative approach.
• The “Aucouturier
psychomotor practice” uses the body as a mediator. Throughout
the relationship, this practice interacts with the senses, the
tone, the motoric, the emotional experience and the fantasy
of the child. This practice refers to the unity of the human
being, as psychological component has not to be separated from
the body roots. Sensory-motor pleasure is the central point
of this practice. It is a somato-psychic unity factor. It is
the fundamental aspect of the symbolical process, promoting
self-awareness and self image.
“ The
child conquers the world from a permanent emotional tone base,
strictly linked up with his/her affective background, even the
most inner one.” B.Aucouturier
THE ROLE OF THE EDUCATION AND
PREVENTION IN
THE PSYCHOMOTOR PRACTICE.
• To promote the development
of the symbolical function throughout the pleasure - to act,
to play, to create, to bring the child from the pleasure to
act to the pleasure to think.
• To enhance self-confidence;
the child must be able to cope with his / her anxiety.
• To promote the “decentralization”
process; the child will not focus on himself anymore.
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