The way children and adolescents appropriate their environment: Activity ranges in a small rural town

With regard to activity range studies of both developmental psychology and sociological childhood research the present study focused on age- and gende r-dependent effects on the activity range of children and adolescents in a small rural town. 184 inhabitants (aged 10 - 14) filled in activity diaries over seven consecutive days. The attended places, the mobility and the acc ompanying persons were registered. The results indicated age differences in the distances between places, the means of transport, and the social relat ions and can be interpreted in terms of an increasing autonomy and as age-s pecific use of settings in accordance with particular developmental needs t hrough social co-construction. Obviously the spatial behavior of children f rom rural environments showed some special characteristics. Gender differen ces appeared which indicate different forms of space appropriation between girls and boys.