PICTURE NAMING BY YOUNG-CHILDREN - NORMS FOR NAME AGREEMENT, FAMILIARITY, AND VISUAL COMPLEXITY

Researchers concerned with the development of cognitive functions are in need of standardized material that can be used with both adults and children. The present article provides normative measures for 400 lin e drawings viewed by 5- and 6-year-old children. The three variables o btained-name agreement, familiarity, and visual complexity-are importa nt because of their potential effect on memory and other cognitive pro cesses. The normative data collected in the present study indicate tha t young children are different from adults in both the name most frequ ently assigned and the number of alternative names provided. The alter native names given by the children are either coordinate names or name s of objects that are visually similar to the pictured object. In addi tion, the failure (to name) rate is higher among young children compar ed to adults. Thus, we conclude that unequivocal interpretation of age -related differences in cognitive functions can be made only when age- appropriate pictorial stimuli are chosen. (C) 1997 Academic Press.