Object and event representation in toddlers.
Mental representation of absent objects and events is a major cognitive achievement. Research is presented that explores how toddlers (2- to 3-year-old children) search for hidden objects and understand out-of-sight events. Younger children fail to use visually obvious cues, such as a barrier that blocks a moving object's path. Spatiotemporal information provided by movement cues directly connected to the hidden object is more helpful. A key problem for toddlers appears to be difficulty in representing a spatial array involving events with multiple elements.
Keen
Rachel
R
Department of Psychology, Tobin Hall, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA. rachelkeen@virginia.edu
Shutts
Kristin
K
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*