Developmental Change in Spatial Cognitive Processing: Complexity Effects and Block Construction Performance in Preschool Children

Abstract

Developmental change in spatial analytic processing was examined in normally developing preschool-aged children. In Studies 1a and 1b, children between 24 and 48 months of age copied a series of simple and complex block constructions. Analyses of construction products demonstrated age-related change in children's abilities to accurately produce complex constructions. Process analyses showed that spatial strategy varied both with age and with the complexity of the model construction. In Study 2, a more detailed examination of performance with complex constructions permitted a further examination of the construct of complexity. The findings suggest that analysis of a spatial array depends on a matrix of factors, including the complexity of the array and the strategies used by the child.