The young child's development of the concept of space was explored using shapes characterized by topological and Euclidean relations. The subjects were required to tactually explore a stimulus shape and then to locate the identical shape factually from among four alternatives. No significant differences were found on the basis of vision or sex, but school experience did affect choice. Results were examined in terms of Piaget's theory of spatial development and found to parallel his findings with sighted children.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AhmadS.The difference between the haptic perception of sighted and blind persons.American Foundation for the Blind, Research Bulletin, 1971, 23, 103–104.
2.
BassH.Topological understandings of young children. In RosskopfM. F. (Ed.), Children's mathematical concepts.New York: Teachers College Press, 1975.
3.
CopelandR. W.How children learn mathematics.New York: Macmillan, 1974.
4.
CopelandR. W.Mathematics and the elementary teacher.Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders, 1976.
5.
DavidsonP. W.The role of exploratory activity in haptic perception: Some issues, data, and hypotheses.American Foundation for the Blind, Research Bulletin, 1972, 24, 21–27.
6.
de la PenaS., HirschR., & EisensonJ.Form discrimination performance of linguistically retarded children.Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1973, 36, 187–194.
7.
DershowitzN. K.On tactual perception of physiognomic properties.Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1973, 36, 343–355.
8.
EwartA. G., & CarpF. M.Recognition of tactual form by sighted and blind subjects.American Journal of Psychology, 1963, 76, 488–491.
9.
FlavellJ. H.The developmental psychology of Jean Piaget.New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1963.
10.
HardwickD. A., McIntyreC. W., & PickH. L.The content and manipulation of cognitive maps in children and adults.Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1977, 41.
11.
KamiiC.Evaluation of learning in preschool education. In BloomB. S., HastingsJ. T., & ModausG. F. (Eds.), Handbook on formative and summative evaluation of student learning.New York: McGraw Hill, 1971.
12.
LarendeauM., & PinardA.The development of the concept of space in the child.New York: International Universities Press, 1970.
13.
LovellK.A follow-up study of some aspects of the work of Piaget and Inhelder on the child's conception of space.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 1959, 29, 104–117.
14.
LovellK.The growth of understanding in mathematics: Kindergarten through grade three.New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, 1971.
15.
MitchelmoreM. C. Cross-cultural research on concepts of space and geometry. In. MartinJ. L., & BradbardD. A. (Eds.). Space and geometry.Columbus, OH: ERIC Center for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, 1976.
SauvyJ., & SauvyS.The child's discovery of space.Baltimore: Penguin, 1974.
18.
SchneidermanD. Z.Tactile-visual perception and cross-modal transfers.Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1971, 32, 159–162.
19.
SimpkinsK.The development of the concept of space.Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 1979, 73(3), 81–85.
20.
SimpkinsK.Tactual discrimination of household objects.Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 1979, 73(3), 86–92.
21.
SwallowR.Spatial education for blind children.Proceedings, Third Annual UAP Conference, Los Angeles Children's Hospital1973.
22.
SwallowR., & PoulsenM. K.Application of Piagetian theory to the development of the concept of space in visually limited children.Proceedings, Second Annual UAP Conference, Los Angeles Children's Hospital1972, 39–43.
23.
TabackS.The child's concept of limit. In RosskopfM. F. (Ed.), Children's mathematical concepts.New York: Teachers College Press, 1975.
24.
TobinM. S.Conservation of substance in the blind and partially sighted.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 1972, 42, 192–197.
25.
WorchelP.Space perception and orientation in the blind.Psychological Monographs, 1951, 65, 1–28.