Egocentric versus allocentric spatial coding in nine-month-old infants: Factors influencing the choice of code.

Abstract

Presented 32 9-mo-old infants with a problem in which they saw an object hidden in 1 of 2 places but were prevented from searching for it until after the spatial relationship between infant and object had been changed in some way. Findings show the following: (a) Previous search experience at 1 place promoted response perseveration or egocentric spatial coding on later trials. (b) Infants were better at locating the object after they had moved than they were after the object had moved. (c) Differentiation of the covers for the 2 locations provided a more salient cue to allocentric position than differentiation of the surrounds of the 2 locations. The 2nd finding is taken as support for the hypothesis that as infants begin to crawl, they become better able to take into account their own displacements within a stable space but difficulties remain with the displacements of objects. (15 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)