2 ROADS DIVERGED - YOUNG CHILDRENS ABILITY TO JUDGE DISTANCE

In the present studies, we investigated 4- and 5- to 6-year-olds' abil ity to compare the distances covered by a direct route to a location a nd an indirect route to the same location. The distances ranged betwee n 16 and 22 feet. The routes were visible from a single vantage point, and objects serving as landmarks were sometimes located along the rou tes. We found clear demonstrations of the two classic Piagetian distan ce errors-the direct-indirect error, in which children judge that a di rect route and an indirect route cover the same distance, and the inte rposed object error, in which children judge that a route is shorter w hen it is segmented by an object located somewhere along the route. Th e interposed object error occurred because children focused on only on e segment of the route, which was consistent with Piaget's explanation of the error. However, in contrast to Piaget, we found that about 40% of 4-year-olds could successfully avoid the direct-indirect error, an d in addition, when the routes were visually displayed, they could als o avoid the interposed object error. It is important that they also ga ve correct explanations for why the indirect route was longer, by refe rring to the fact that it was not straight. For these children at leas t, the interposed object error was due to difficulty they had represen ting routes, rather than to a misconception of distance. We suggest th at future research should examine whether that may also be true for yo unger children.