Reconstruction and drawing of two occluded objects: A developmental study of young children

The present study investigated developmental changes in young children's in tellectual realism. 100 children (26 3-year-olds, 36 4-year-olds, and 38 5- year-olds) were asked to arrange 2 cups after the arrangement had been show n to them (reconstruction task), and to draw the cups as they had been show n to them (drawing task). The results showed that in the reconstruction tas k, 5-year-olds had more correct answers than either the 3- or 4-year-olds, and the 4-year-olds did better than the 3-year-olds. A significant differen ce was found between the 3- and 5-year-olds on the drawing task. In all age groups, more correct answers were found on the reconstruction task than on the drawing task. Analysis of errors in the drawings indicated that the 3- year-olds drew the objects as a symbolic form (a single circle), and 4-year -olds as a canonical form (stereotype of cup); whereas 5-year-olds drew an informative form with which to communicate array-specific information. The findings suggested that although the younger children performed the tasks s tereotypically, the older children did them by considering the array struct ure of the objects.