Abstract
This study aims to determine if, in children, subjective perception of space is modulated by the experience of reaching distal objects by means of tools and verbal labels. We presented 7-15-year-old participants with objects located in the near and far space, and in the threshold area between these spaces (border space). Before and after a training session, separate groups of participants estimated objects' location by providing a verbal estimation of their distance (n = 12) or by rolling a toy car to match their location (motor-based estimation; n = 16). The training session required interaction with the targets (i.e., actively experiencing the perceived distance) and included use of a rake or a linguistic label when far objects were involved. A control condition in which training implied use of a short, ineffective tool was also tested (n = 6). Results showed that verbal estimations were not affected by the training phase (p > .05). In contrast, training modulated motor-based estimations relative to border space. Specifically, maximal distance of toy car displacements was reduced following all kinds of training (p < .01). These results indicate that, similarly to adults, the boundary between near and far space is not fixed in children and that both active tool use and verbal labels can modulate this uncertain boundary.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 183-91 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Motor Behavior |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2016 |
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Keywords
- Adolescent
- Adolescent Development
- Child
- Child Development
- Distance Perception
- Female
- Humans
- Male
- Orientation
- Photic Stimulation
- Psychomotor Performance
- Space Perception
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Cite this
Reaching for Objects or Asking for Them : Distance Estimation in 7- to 15-Year-Old Children. / Scorolli, Claudia; Daprati, Elena; Nico, Daniele; Borghi, Anna M.
In: Journal of Motor Behavior, Vol. 48, No. 2, 2016, p. 183-91.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Reaching for Objects or Asking for Them
T2 - Distance Estimation in 7- to 15-Year-Old Children
AU - Scorolli, Claudia
AU - Daprati, Elena
AU - Nico, Daniele
AU - Borghi, Anna M.
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - This study aims to determine if, in children, subjective perception of space is modulated by the experience of reaching distal objects by means of tools and verbal labels. We presented 7-15-year-old participants with objects located in the near and far space, and in the threshold area between these spaces (border space). Before and after a training session, separate groups of participants estimated objects' location by providing a verbal estimation of their distance (n = 12) or by rolling a toy car to match their location (motor-based estimation; n = 16). The training session required interaction with the targets (i.e., actively experiencing the perceived distance) and included use of a rake or a linguistic label when far objects were involved. A control condition in which training implied use of a short, ineffective tool was also tested (n = 6). Results showed that verbal estimations were not affected by the training phase (p > .05). In contrast, training modulated motor-based estimations relative to border space. Specifically, maximal distance of toy car displacements was reduced following all kinds of training (p < .01). These results indicate that, similarly to adults, the boundary between near and far space is not fixed in children and that both active tool use and verbal labels can modulate this uncertain boundary.
AB - This study aims to determine if, in children, subjective perception of space is modulated by the experience of reaching distal objects by means of tools and verbal labels. We presented 7-15-year-old participants with objects located in the near and far space, and in the threshold area between these spaces (border space). Before and after a training session, separate groups of participants estimated objects' location by providing a verbal estimation of their distance (n = 12) or by rolling a toy car to match their location (motor-based estimation; n = 16). The training session required interaction with the targets (i.e., actively experiencing the perceived distance) and included use of a rake or a linguistic label when far objects were involved. A control condition in which training implied use of a short, ineffective tool was also tested (n = 6). Results showed that verbal estimations were not affected by the training phase (p > .05). In contrast, training modulated motor-based estimations relative to border space. Specifically, maximal distance of toy car displacements was reduced following all kinds of training (p < .01). These results indicate that, similarly to adults, the boundary between near and far space is not fixed in children and that both active tool use and verbal labels can modulate this uncertain boundary.
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adolescent Development
KW - Child
KW - Child Development
KW - Distance Perception
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Orientation
KW - Photic Stimulation
KW - Psychomotor Performance
KW - Space Perception
KW - Journal Article
KW - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
U2 - 10.1080/00222895.2015.1070787
DO - 10.1080/00222895.2015.1070787
M3 - Article
C2 - 26313161
VL - 48
SP - 183
EP - 191
JO - Journal of Motor Behavior
JF - Journal of Motor Behavior
SN - 0022-2895
IS - 2
ER -