Abstract

In the Sonohara's (1) and my (2, 3, 4) experiments on the recognition of similarity of figures composed of three element figures where the standard figures was presented upright coincident with the north-south-direction of the system of coordinate, the three developmental characteristics were found as follows:1. Characteristics with kindergarten children:a. The figures which have the same form as the standard figure were predominately chosen, even when the colour arrangement in them was different from the standard one.b. The reversal figures were chosen preferentially.c. The semi-reversal figures and the “elementary” figures which consisted of the same elements as the standard but with different arrangements were much less chosen.2. In adults the figures chosen as similar were determined by the similarity in the combinations of three factors-colour, direction and form.3. The developmental changes from kindergarten children's characteristics to the adults' were found about in the third and sixth grades of primary school and about in the first grade of lower secondary school.The purpose of the present investigation was to confirm whether the above-mentioned results would be obtained in the standard figures which are tilted by 45° (NE), 90° (E) and 135° (ES) with the system of coordinate.Procedure and subjectsFour sets of figures were used in the present experiment. Each set consists of a standard figure and four comparison figures. The subject was asked to select from the latter the one which has the closest similarity to the former. The subjects amount to the total of 677 from kindergarten children to adults.1. Results with kindergarten children:a. The importance of the form of a dominant element was not recognized when a standard figure was presented in tilted position.b. The preference for a reversal figure was recognized as ever in all the experimental conditions.c. Tendency to ignore an “elementary” figure was recognized as ever in all the experimental conditions.d. Tendency to ignore a semi-reversal figure by kindergarten children was recognized more frequently than adults in all the experimental conditions.2. Results with adults:Figures chosen as similar by adult were so determined by the similar combinations of three factors-colour, direction and form as the standard, that the changes of the direction of standard figures had little influence on determining similarity of the figures.3. The adults' characteristics in the recognition of similarity of figures were observed to begin at the age of about 8 years in the development.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call