Specifics of Visuo-spatial Processing in Urban and Rural Primary School Children

Abstract

The objective of the study was to analyze the possible influence of socio‐cultural factors on visuo‐spatial processing (VSP) in primary school children. The reaction time (RT) and accuracy of local vs. global visual recognition of Navon’s hierarchical stimuli (Navon, 1977) and the results of performance on Luria’s (1966) neuropsychological tests were analyzed in 6‐year‐old children from a rural (n=28) and an urban (n=24) public primary school. The children of both groups presented more difficulties in the recognition of the local features of hierarchical letters compared with the global ones. The rural group compared with the urban group had lower accuracy and longer RT for global recognition, shorter RT and lower accuracy for local incongruent stimulus recognition, and inversion of Navon’s global precedence effect. Neuropsychological examination revealed significantly higher indices of difficulties in internal image of objects, visual memory and visuo‐spatial analysis and synthesis. In both groups, significant correlations were found between the level of visuo‐spatial neuropsychological task performance and the accuracy of visual recognition of global features. Taken together, the results of the study suggested the importance of global visual recognition in the development of visuo‐spatial processing at primary school age. The group differences showed the influence of socio‐ cultural factors on cognitive development in children.