title: Development of different spatial frames of reference for orientation in small-scale environments.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies show that there is a developmental transition in the frames of reference children use to orientate from a body-centered to an allocentric strategy. However, there is no agreement concerning the age at which they begin to integrate and flexibly use both strategies in small-scale environments.
  
  
  METHODS
  6-10-year-old children and adults were trained to locate a hidden object in an arm-maze placed within a small-scale model, which maintained stable relationships with the frames of reference provided by the experimental room and by the subject (Experiment 1), and in a situation of inconsistency between the frame provided by the small-scale model and the other two (Experiment 2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When the frames of reference provided by the room and by the subject conflict with that of the manipulative space, the performance deteriorates compared to the situation when multiple frames of reference can be used cooperatively to locate the goal. The flexible use of the information provided by the model (i.e., the cues surrounding the maze and the geometrical features) emerged at 10 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Through development, children acquire new spatial abilities and increasing flexibility in the conjoint use of egocentric and allocentric frames of reference in small-scale environments.
authors.affiliation: Universidad de Huelva.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Moraleda
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Broglio
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003463:Cues; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D009949:Orientation; D002666:Psychology, Child; D013028:Space Perception; D013037:Spatial Behavior