The differences in performance on some spatial tasks in pre-school children

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the process of development of children's space perception in three conditions. Subjects were required to perform the task following the three conditions: (1) Condition (A) — to choose the same correct stimulus with the sample chosen among many (the multiple choice method); (2) Condition (B) — to pick up a pair having the same figure in each square; (3) Condition (C) — to arrange the figures and plastic building blocks in a correct position by eyes and hands coordinated. The identical standard stimuli were used according to the above conditions. Materials for the task were geometrical figures and plastic building blocks. The ages of the subjects were 4, 5 and 6. The results were as follows; (1) The younger groups (4 and 5 years) performed better in condition (C) than in condition (A) and condition (B), though identical standard stimuli were used. (2) T-test made a significant difference in the three conditions. (3) The above results show that spacial ability of younger children is better in manipulative activity condition than in visually perceptive condition. © 1986, The Japanese Association of Educational Psychology. All rights reserved.