Abstract
We studied the strategy preference of using the egocentric or the allocentric representation in individuals who have acquired the ability to use both representations. Fifty-seven children aged 5–7 years and 53 adults retrieved toys hidden in one of four identical containers in a square room. We varied the type of spatial representation available in four conditions: (1) only self-motion information (egocentric representation); (2) only external landmark cues (allocentric representation); (3) both self-motion and landmark cues (dual representation); (4) self-motion and landmark cues in conflict (conflict trial). We found that, compared with the allocentric representation, the egocentric representation approached maturity earlier in development and was exploited better in early years. More importantly, in the conflict trials, while both children and adults relied more on egocentric representation, still a small portion of participants chose allocentric representation, especially in the adult group. These results provided evidence that egocentric representation is generally preferred more in both young children and adults.
Highlights
IntroductionIt is crucial for us to maintain spatial information about our surrounding environment in daily life
As mobile creatures, it is crucial for us to maintain spatial information about our surrounding environment in daily life
Analyses of one-way ANOVA revealed that the effect of age was significant in each condition [egocentric representation condition, F(3,106) = 5.08, p = 0.003, η2p = 0.13; allocentric representation condition, F(3,106) = 18.08, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.34] Games–Howell post hoc comparisons revealed that the difference did not occur between any of the two Egocentric representation Allocentric representation condition condition
Summary
It is crucial for us to maintain spatial information about our surrounding environment in daily life. Egocentric representation encodes the object’s position relative to one’s body (object-to-self relation), such as “the toy is on my left”; while allocentric representation encodes a location with respect to external environment (object-to-object relation), such as “the toy is beside the desk” (e.g., Klatzky and Golledge, 1998). 9-month-old infants were able to retrieve a hidden object after they were moved along simple paths of rotation or translation, Children and Adults Prefer the Egocentric Representation which indicated they could update the egocentric spatial relations in simple movements (Landau and Spelke, 1988). Studies with young children showed that after moving to the opposite side of the room, 4-year-olds succeeded in finding the correct place (either to their left or right) from a different view (Acredolo, 1978)
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