DIAGNOSING THE SPATIAL PERSPECTIVE-TAKING COMPETENCE OF CHILDREN - A TRAINING STUDY APPROACH

The effects of training on children's spatial perspective taking with multi-object two-dimensional arrays were assessed in two studies. In t he first study, children at grade levels 1, 3, and 5 were trained on a picture-selection task with corrective feedback either present or abs ent and with coding instructions either present or absent. On an immed iate test of retention, performance was significantly better for those subjects trained with feedback present and for those trained with bot h feedback and coding present, although the effect of feedback combine d with coding depended on grade. In a second study, children at grade levels 1 and 3 were trained on a picture-selection task with correctiv e feedback plus were given instructions in coding and in the use of a successive-elimination strategy. On immediate and delayed tests of ret ention, as well as on a delayed transfer (construction) task, trained subjects performed significantly better than did control subjects. The results were interpreted as indicating that training had served to ev oke an already existing competence.