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How toddlers represent enclosed spaces
Author(s) -
Huttenlocher Janellen,
Vasilyeva Marina
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.498
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1551-6709
pISSN - 0364-0213
DOI - 10.1207/s15516709cog2705_3
Subject(s) - heading (navigation) , object (grammar) , space (punctuation) , position (finance) , object permanence , task (project management) , artificial intelligence , computer science , cognitive psychology , cognition , psychology , computer vision , spatial cognition , communication , cognitive development , geography , engineering , geodesy , finance , systems engineering , neuroscience , economics , operating system
Recent findings indicate that toddlers can use geometric cues to locate an object hidden in a corner of a rectangular room after being disoriented [Cognition 61 (1996) 195]. It has been suggested that locating the object involves reestablishing one's initial heading. The present experiments examine search behavior after disorientation. We find that toddlers go directly to a particular corner, indicating that they do not have to reestablish their original heading. It also has been suggested that toddlers ability to use geometric cues is limited to surrounding spaces. We find that toddlers can locate an object from outside as well as from inside a space, although the task is harder from outside. Based on these results, we argue that while toddlers do not represent their position relative to a particular portion of a space, they nevertheless may represent their position relative to the entire space (i.e., outside vs. inside).