Abstract
This study tested the perceptual learning theory of size constancy development, which proposes that children younger than 9 years are relatively insensitive to monocular cues for distance and size, and that developmental changes in far-distance size estimation result from increasing sensitivity to these cues. This theory predicts that before 10 years, children will make less accurate size judgments at far distances under monocular than under binocular viewing conditions. Five age groups were tested: 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 19–28, and 50+ years. Participants judged the size of a standard disc, from viewing distances of 6.1 and 61 m, by pointing at 1 of 9 nearby comparison discs. Testing was conducted under both monocular and binocular viewing conditions. Five- to 6-year-olds underestimated object size at the far distance, 7- to 8-, 9- to 10-year-olds, and older adults made size estimates that were close to accurate, and the young adults significantly overestimated size. At the near distance, all age groups underestimated size and no age differences were found. Contrary to predictions from the perceptual learning theory, viewing condition had no significant effect on size estimates.
Highlights
Before about 9 years of age, children tend to underestimate the size of a distant object
This study tested the perceptual learning theory of size constancy development, which proposes that children younger than 9 years are relatively insensitive to monocular cues for distance and size, and that developmental changes in far-distance size estimation result from increasing sensitivity to these cues
The error values were compared in a mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) with distance and viewing condition as within-subjects factors and age (5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 19–28, and ≥50) as a between-subject factor
Summary
Before about 9 years of age, children tend to underestimate the size of a distant object. The metacognitive theory (Granrud, 2009, 2012; Rapoport, 1967) proposes that children and adults perceive distant objects as smaller than their actual sizes, and that young children respond to perceived size in size-matching tasks As a result, they underestimate object size (i.e., exhibit underconstancy) at far viewing distances. When estimating a distant object’s size, they make nearly accurate size estimates (exhibit size constancy), and sometimes overestimate size (exhibit overconstancy), by using explicit strategies such as the distance compensation strategy, which involves deliberately inflating estimated size to compensate for the effects of distance on perceived size According to this theory, developmental changes in size estimation during childhood are caused by increasing metacognitive awareness of the effects of distance on perceived size and the development of strategy use
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