title: Environmental-scale map use in middle childhood: links to spatial skills, strategies, and gender.
abstract: Researchers have shown that young children solve mapping tasks in small spaces, but have rarely tested children's performance in large, unfamiliar environments. In the current research, children (9-10 years; N = 40) explored an unfamiliar campus and marked flags' locations on a map. As hypothesized, better performance was predicted by higher spatial-test scores, greater spontaneous use of map-space coordinating strategies, and participant sex (favoring boys). Data supported some but not all hypotheses about the roles of specific spatial skills for mapping performance. Data patterns were similar on a computer mapping task that displayed environmental-scale videos of walks through a park. Patterns of children's mapping errors suggested both idiosyncratic and common mapping strategies that should be addressed in future research and educational interventions.
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University.
authors.forename: Lynn S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Liben
authors.forename: Lauren J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Myers
authors.forename: Adam E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Corinne A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Bower
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008377:Maps as Topic; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*