Developmental Changes in Young Children's Spatial Memory and Language in Relation to Landmarks

Abstract

Two experiments investigated how young children and adults understand whether objects are by a landmark and remember their locations. Three- and 4-year-old children and adults were asked to judge whether several blocks were by a landmark. The blocks were arranged so that their absolute and relative distances from the landmark varied. Later, the blocks were removed, and participants were asked to place them in their original locations. All ages relied on relative distance between objects and a landmark when making by judgments; however, older children and adults showed systematic judgments. Relative distance also affected block placement, and systematicity increased across development. Children's understanding of the relative nature of by and their ability to remember locations precisely increased during the preschool years, indicating developmental changes in the adaptive combination of location cues for spatial language and memory.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Nicole Bush, Lindsey DeRose, Elizabeth Ellison, Emily Foster, and Devin Gill for assistance with data collection and coding; Corinne Zimmerman for comments on an earlier version of the paper; Blooming Grove Academy, Calvary United Methodist Church Preschool, Debra T. Thomas Learning Centers, Discovery World Child Care Center, Hilltop Preschool, Illinois State University Child Care Center, Kiddie Korner Preschool, and Shining Star Learning Center in Bloomington-Normal, IL, for assistance with the project; and all of the children and adults for their participation. Experiment 2 was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for undergraduate departmental honors in psychology by the second author.

Notes

Note. The classification of individual participants is based on the proportion of yes (by) responses (see text for details).

Note. The classification of individual participants is based on the pattern of block placements (see text for details).

¹Note that the coordinates for the seven closest and seven furthest blocks were used to calculate displacement scores in both conditions.

Note. The classification of individual participants is based on the proportion of yes (by) responses (see text for details).

²Note that participants in the intervening condition needed to respond yes to at least 6 out of 7 blocks to be considered systematic.

Note. The classification of individual participants is based on the pattern of block placements (see text for details).

³It is also possible that young children understand relative distance but do not link it to the spatial term by. Here, development involves children gaining experience linking conceptual and linguistic understanding in precise ways.