年幼兒童是否能夠憑借地標物辨別方向呢,？在線發(fā)表于愛思唯爾期刊《認知》（Cognition）的一篇研究論文給出的答案是肯定的,。
研究人員利用若干不同設想測試了3至7歲兒童辨別方向的能力,，這些方案都是在開闊的公用場地實施的,。通過在受測兒童身上配置全球定位系統(tǒng)（GPS）來評價辨別方向的結果,，研究發(fā)現(xiàn),，所有年齡組的兒童辨別出正確方向的比例都高于隨機概率,。同時研究還發(fā)現(xiàn),，受測兒童辨認的正確率與試驗場地的主要環(huán)境特點有緊密聯(lián)系。當試驗場地面積較大時,，兒童更傾向于利用自然地標物辨別方向,。試驗場地色彩種類越多，受測兒童辨別方向的正確率越高,，但同時也會受試驗場地內(nèi)地標物大小的影響,。
最新研究表明，即使是三歲小孩也能夠利用戶外環(huán)境地標辨別方向,。而所處環(huán)境的大小,、地標物的大小和位置都會影響兒童辨別方向的靈敏度和偏好。（科學網(wǎng) 荔濤/編譯）
（《認知》（Cognition）,，doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2007.10.008, Alastair D. Smith, Bruce M. Hood）
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Reorientation in the real world: The development of landmark use and integration in a natural environment
Alastair D. Smitha, , , Iain D. Gilchrista, Kirsten Caterb, Naimah Ikrama, Kylie Notta and Bruce M. Hooda
aBristol Cognitive Development Centre, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
bDepartment of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
Received 27 June 2007; revised 16 October 2007; accepted 28 October 2007. Available online 11 December 2007.
Abstract
An influential series of studies have argued that young children are unable to use landmark information to reorient. However, these studies have used artificial experimental environments that may lead to an underestimation of the children’s ability. We tested whether young children could reorient using landmarks in an ecologically valid setting. Children aged between 3 and 7 years completed a reorientation task in open parkland, and the properties of the search array (size and distinctiveness) were manipulated in a within-subjects design. Responses were recorded using Global Positioning Systems technology. All age groups performed above chance level, demonstrating that young children can reorient using natural landmarks. This behaviour was modulated by the nature of the search array: children were more accurate when the locations were spaced in a large array, and when the search locations were distinctively coloured. This suggests that the integration between landmarks and search locations, at different spatial scales, is a key factor in characterising human reorientation in the real world.
Keywords: Reorientation; Development; Landmarks
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