Abstract
Let us begin by examining the development of some very simple perceptual functions in normal children. Consider visual acuity as a first example. A number of studies using various methods (Fantz, Ordy, and Udelf, 1962; Gorman, Cogan, and Gillis, 1957; Dayton, Jones, Aiu, Rawson, Steele, and Rose, 1964) find the visual acuity of infants between zero and 1 month of age to be between 20/150 and 20/400 Snellen. It increases over the first several months of age and then rapidly through childhood, reaching maximum (20/20 to 20/15 Snellen) about the age of 10 years (Weymouth, 1963). Consider auditory acuity as a second example. Steinschneider, Lipton, and Richmond (1966) found neonates sensitive to sounds of 70 db or more. Bartoshuk (1964) found that the function relating responsivity and intensity of sound in neonates was similar to that of adults, and Eagles, Wishik, Doerfler, Melnick, and Levine (1963) found auditory acuity increasing slowly and gradually between 5 and 13 years with a slight decrease in sensitivity at 14. Even somewhat more complex perceptual functions such as those involved in size constancy seem to show gradual improvement with age. Typical of these studies is one by Zeigler and Leibowitz (1957). Children between 7 and 9 years of age showed less constancy than a group of adults in adjusting a rod 5 feet away to match the size of one varying from 10 to 100 feet away.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Acredolo, L. P. Frames of referenced used by children for orientation in unfamiliar spaces. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, 1974.
Ball, W., and Tronick, E. Infant responses to impending collision: Optical and real. Science, 1971, 171, 818–820.
Bartoshuk, A. K. Human neonatal cardiac responses to sound: A power function. Psychonomic Science, 1964, 1, 151–152.
Benson, K., and Yonas, A. Development of sensitivity to static pictorial depth information. Perception and Psychophysics, 1973, 13, 361–366.
Berman, P. W. How a child finds his way in two-dimensional space. Colloquium presented at Pennsylvania State University. 1973, and personal communication.
Bower, T. G. R. The development of reaching in infants. Unpublished monograph, University of Edinburgh, 1973.
Bower, T. G. R., Broughton, J. M., and Moore, M. K. Infant responses to approaching objects: An indicator of response to distal variables. Perception and Psychophysics, 1970, 9, 193–196. (a).
Bower, T. G. R., Broughton, J. M., and Moore, M. K. Demonstration of intention in the reaching behavior of neonate humans. Nature, 1970, 228 (no. 5272), 697–681. (b).
Bruner, J. S., and Koslowski, B. Visually preadapted constituents of manipulatory action. Perception, 1972, 1, 3–14.
Campos, J. J., Langer, A., and Krowitz, A. Cardiac responses on the visual cliff in prelocomotor human infants. Science, 1970, 170, 196–197.
Dayton, G. O. Jr., Jones, M. H., Aiu, P., Rawson, R. H., Steele, B., and Rose, M. Developmental study of coordinated eye movements in the human infant I: Visual acuity in the newborn human: A study based on induced optokinetic nystagmus recorded by electro-oculography. Archives of Ophthalmology, 1964, 71, 865–870.
Deregowski, J. B. Difficulties in pictorial depth perception in Africa. British Journal of Psychology, 1968, 59, 195–204.
Eagles, F. L. Wishik, S. M., Doerfler, L. G., Melnick, W., and Levine, H. S. Hearing sensitivity and related factors in children. Published by Laryngoscope, 650 S. Kingshighway, St. Louis, Mo., 63110. 1963, Vol. XI, 220.
Ebihara, T. Moji ni okeru katachi no shigekiiki ni tsuite. (Stimulus thresholds of shapes for blind children.) Journal of Psychology of the Blind, 1958, 4, 27–31.
Fantz, R. L., Ordy, J. M., and Udelf, M. S. Maturation of pattern vision in infants during first six months. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 1962, 55, 907–917.
Gibson, J. J. The perception of the visual world. Cambridge, Mass.: Riverside Press, 1950.
Gibson, J. J. The senses considered as perceptual systems. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1966.
Gorman, J. J., Cogan, D. G., and Gillis, S. S. An apparatus for grading visual acuity of infants on the basis of opticokinetic nystagmus. Pediatrics, 1957, 19, 1088–1092.
Graham, F. K., and Jackson, J. C. Arousal systems and infant heart rate responses. In H. W. Reese and L. P. Lipsitt, (Eds.), Advances in Child Development and Behavior (Vol. 5). New York: Academic Press, 1970.
Hatwell, Y. Perception tactile desformes et organisations spatial tactile. (Tactile form perception in the organization of tactile space.) Journal de Psychologie Normale et Pathologique, 1959, 56 (no. 2), 187–204.
Hochberg, J., and Brooks, V. Pictorial recognition as an unlearned ability: A study of one child’s performance. American Journal of Psychology, 1962, 75, 624–628.
Hruska, K., and Yonas, A. Developmental changes in cardiac responses to the optical stimulus of impending collision. Paper presented at the Meeting of the Society for Psychophysiological Research. St. Louis, Mo., 1971.
Hudson, W. Pictorial depth perception in sub-cultural groups in Africa. Journal of Social Psychology, 1960, 52, 183–208.
Hudson, W. The study of the problem of pictorial perception among unacculturated groups. International Journal of Psychology, 1967, 2, 89–107.
Jahoda, G. Geometric illusions and environment: A study in Ghana. British Journal of Psychology, 1966, 57, 193–199.
Kilbride, P. C., and Robbins, M. C. Linear perspective, pictorial depth perception and education among the Baganda. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1968, 27, 601–602.
Lasky, R. E. The effect of visual feedback on the reaching of young infants. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota, 1973.
Leibowitz, H. W., Brislin, R., Perlmutter, L., and Hennessy, R. Ponzo perspective illusion as a manifestation of space perception. Science, 1969, 166, 1174–1176.
McKinney, J. P. Hand schema in children. Psychonomic Science, 1964, 1, 99–100.
Mundy-Castle, A. C. Pictorial depth perception in Ghanaian children. International Journal of Psychology, 1966, 1, 289–300.
Pick, A. D. Games experimenters play! Review of cross-cultural studies on cognition. Unpublished manuscript, University of Minnesota, 1973.
Pick, H. L. Jr. Systems of perceptual and perceptual-motor development. In J. Hill (Ed.), Minnesota symposia on child psychology (Vol. 4). Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1970.
Pick, H. L. Jr., and Pick, A. D. Sensory and perceptual development. In P. Mussen (Ed.), CarmichaeVs manual of child psychology. New York: Wiley, 1970.
Pollack, R. H. Simultaneous and successive presentation of elements of the Müller-Lyer figure and chronological age. Perceptual Motor Skills, 1964, 19, 303–310.
Pollack, R. H. Some implications of ontogenetic changes in perception. In J. Flavell and D. Elkind (Eds.), Studies in cognitive development: Essays in honor of Jean Piaget. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Schwartz, A. N., Campos, J. J., and Baisel, E. J. The visual cliff: Cardiac and behavioral responses on the deep and shallow sides at five and nine months of age. Unpublished manuscript, Psychology Department, University of Denver.
Segall, M. H., Campbell, D. T., and Herskovits, M. J. The influence of culture on visual perception. Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill, 1966.
Steinschneider, A., Lipton, E. L., and Richmond, J. B. Auditory sensitivity in the infant: Effect of intensity on cardiac and motor responsivity. Child Development, 1966, 37, 233–252.
Warren, D., Anooshian, L. J., and Bollinger, J. G. Early vs. late blindness: The role of early vision in spatial behavior. The American Foundation for the Blind Research Bulletin, 1973, 26, 151–170.
Weymouth, F. W. Visual acuity of children. In M. J. Hirsch and R. E. Wick (Eds.), Vision of children. Philadelphia, Penn.: Chilton, 1963.
Witkin, H. A., Lewis, H. B., Hartzman, M., Machover, K., Meissner, P. B., and Wapner, S. Personality through perception. New York: Harper, 1954.
Worchel, P. Space perception and orientation in the blind. Psychological Monographs, 1951, 65, (Whole No. 332).
Yonas, A., and Pick, H. L. Jr. Infant space perception in L. Cohen and P. Salapatek (Eds.), Perception in infants. New York: Academic Press, 1975.
Zeigler, H. P., and Leibowitz, H. Apparent visual size as a function of distance for children and adults. American Journal of Psychology, 1957, 70, 106–109.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1976 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pick, H.L. (1976). Development in Complex Perceptual Activities. In: Schopler, E., Reichler, R.J. (eds) Psychopathology and Child Development. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2187-3_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2187-3_6
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-2189-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-2187-3
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive