Stimulus position and functional direction: Confounds in the concept of “bigger” in 5- and 6-year-olds

Abstract

The use of the vertical linear dimension as a cue in paired comparison judgments of “bigger” with 5- and 6-year-olds was investigated, using drawings of real-world objects. The drawings were of equal area, and the objects depicted were ones to which a functional direction could be attributed. The results indicated that the verfical dimension is a salient cue in the judgment of bigger. Also, the functional direction of an object appears to influence the selection of the vertical dimension as a cue. The difference in responding to displays having either a common or disparate baseline suggests that the inability to conserve length may be a factor influencing the judgment of “bigger” when stimulus objects do not share a common baseline.