TY - JOUR PY - 1993// TI - The ability of three- to four-year-old children to use a map in a large-scale environment JO - Journal of environmental psychology A1 - Rutland, Adam A1 - Custance, Debbie A1 - Campbell, Robin N. SP - 365 EP - 372 VL - 13 IS - 4 N2 - This paper reports a study which investigated the ability of three- and four-year-old children to use a map as a spatial representation. Recent research has demonstrated that young children can use simple maps to find a location in an experimental room or follow a route in a large-scale environment. The aim of this study was to extend previous research by asking young children to use a map when finding an object in a large-scale maze. Four hiding places were used which varied in terms of their spatial relations to nearby landmarks and the degree to which the children had to re-orientate themselves within the maze. The data collected from 36 children revealed a significant improvement in the children's performance with age. The ability of the threeyear-old children and the four-year-old children to use a map was dependent on the location of the hiding place inside the maze.

LA - SN - 0272-4944 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80258-0 ID - ref1 ER -