MCGRAW,MYRTLE,B. - A GROWTH SCIENTIST

Myrtle B. McGraw pioneered in experimental and comparative study of infant growth, yet misconceptions persist about her methods and findings. The authors use archival information, interviews with colleagues, and analysis of published works to clarify her concepts, describe the collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of her research, examine the controversy about critical periods, and assess her impact on current research in motor development. McGraw contended, in contrast to Gesell, that the overlapping, regressive, and sometimes inconsistent phases involved in neuromuscular integration demonstrate that learning and maturation interact in the course of development. She also demonstrated the significance of attitudes for anticipation and judgement in problem solving. The authors examine McGraw's influence on the resurgence of psychobiology and suggest how interdisciplinary methods could enhance the study of motor development.