ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the reciprocal relationship of particular importance to human motor development: social behavior and movement. Social behavior affects a person’s movement behavior; conversely, motor behavior equally affects an individual’s social development. The chapter discusses the main social influences affecting motor development during older childhood and adolescence. The process of socialization teaches the members of society their social roles. Self-esteem has been widely studied, with most researchers finding it to be affected significantly by involvement in physical activity. In a study of physical activity throughout the world, involving 122 countries, researchers found that a third of adolescents and nearly 80 percent of adults did not achieve recommended levels of physical activity. Though some increases with age were noted in leisure-time physical activity, overall occupational activity (work-related physical activity) was found to decrease with age.
