Relative similarity of rotated and reversed figures to the original figures as a function of children's age.
Four rotated and 2 (left-right and up-down) reversed replicas of 11 random figures and a capital letter, F, were ranked for similarity to the originals by 7 age groups, 5-19 yr. in mean age, each consisting of 23-39 normal boys and girls. For both the random figures and the letter, the left-right reversals were judged as the most similar to the originals at ages 5-7, while the 45 degrees rotations were judged so at ages 12-19. The age of 10 was the boundary between these 2 tendencies. These results indicate that young children have already differentiated spatial orientations and directions to a considerable degree, but differently from older children and adults.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012399:Rotation; D013028:Space Perception