Abstract
This paper examines young children's developing concepts of geometric shapes. In Study 1, 54 children from preschool, second and fourth grades, and 12 adults completed a sorting task. Results suggested that older children rely more on rule-based definitions and less on perceptual similarity than younger children when making sorting judgments. The former transition occurs earlier and apparently more abruptly than the latter. These results are generally consistent with Keil's (1989) description of a characteristic-to-defining shift. Study 2 examined the performance of 29 three- and 4-year-olds. Results suggested that few of these children relied on defining features when the overall domain of geometric shapes was considered. In both studies children demonstrated a developmental shift at different times for different shapes. The complexity of each type of shape is proposed to explain these rates of development.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
