A geometric process for spatial reorientation in young children. Hermer, L. & Spelke, E. S. Nature, 370(6484):57-9, 1994. doi abstract bibtex Disoriented rats and non-human primates reorient themselves using geometrical features of the environment. In rats tested in environments with distinctive geometry, this ability is impervious to non-geometric information (such as colours and odours) marking important locations and used in other spatial tasks. Here we show that adults use both geometric and non-geometric information to reorient themselves, whereas young children, like mature rats, use only geometric information. These findings provide evidence that: (1) humans reorient in accord with the shape of the environment; (2) the young child's reorientation system is impervious to all but geometric information, even when non-geometric information is available and is re-presented by the child–such information should improve performance and is used in similar tasks by the oriented child; and (3) the limits of this process are overcome during human development.
@Article{Hermer1994,
author = {L. Hermer and E. S. Spelke},
journal = {Nature},
title = {A geometric process for spatial reorientation in young children.},
year = {1994},
number = {6484},
pages = {57-9},
volume = {370},
abstract = {Disoriented rats and non-human primates reorient themselves using
geometrical features of the environment. In rats tested in environments
with distinctive geometry, this ability is impervious to non-geometric
information (such as colours and odours) marking important locations
and used in other spatial tasks. Here we show that adults use both
geometric and non-geometric information to reorient themselves, whereas
young children, like mature rats, use only geometric information.
These findings provide evidence that: (1) humans reorient in accord
with the shape of the environment; (2) the young child's reorientation
system is impervious to all but geometric information, even when
non-geometric information is available and is re-presented by the
child--such information should improve performance and is used in
similar tasks by the oriented child; and (3) the limits of this process
are overcome during human development.},
doi = {10.1038/370057a0},
keywords = {Adult, Animals, Child, Female, Humans, Infant, Male, Orientation, Preschool, Rats, Space Perception, Spatial Behavior, 8015596},
}
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