DIFFERENCES IN MAP REPRESENTATION BY INDIAN AND AMERICAN ADOLESCENTS

Piaget and Inhelder (1967) outlined three stages of spatial representa tion of the environment culminating in an abstract map-like understand ing of space. 120 boys and 120 girls from India and the USA were asked to draw a map of their neighborhoods displaying roads and other landm arks, especially their homes and schools. Analyses indicated both gend er and cross cultural differences in the stage performance of the part icipants. Implications of these findings as well as future lines of re search ate discussed.