EXPERIENCE AND THE WATER-LEVEL TASK REVISITED - DOES EXPERTISE EXACT A PRICE

A recently published study (Hecht & Proffitt, 1995) reported that adul ts in Munich, Germany, whose occupations involved considerable experie nce with liquids in containers were less accurate on Piaget's water-le vel task than were comparable adults in other occupations. The present study attempted to replicate that experiment with a North American sa mple, but using tighter, controls. The resulting data and conclusions contrast with those of the original study and indicate, instead that i ndividuals in occupations that provide much experience with liquids in containers (bartenders, waiters and waitresses) are, in fact, more ac curate on two versions of the water-level tusk than individuals of equ ivalent gender; age, and education in control occupations (salespeople , clerical workers). The data are discussed in terms of both the impac t and the limits of experience on spatial-task performance.