A Experimental Study Of Children’s Cognition And Representation Of Map

Maps can be seen everywhere in life and become an indispensable part of modern life. because of the map, we appreciate the convenience of life and the world wide. When do we know the map, and how to represent it? The study found that about 4 years old children already know what is map; children aged 5-6 basically formed concept map, with a preliminary map reading ability; 7-8 years old children in the peak map of child’s cognitive development. For map representation, analogical reasoning theory is that it comes from real field to the symbols in the field of map, the map of reality and extracted to match between the symbols in the same structure, and spatial cognition theory, object positioning strategy depends on the encoding. Based on a large number of research and related theory, this study with 5-6 and 8-9 years old age group as the subjects, using map as the medium, designed the four experiments.Experiment 1 to interview examines the definition on the map of the two children of the age, cognitive function, and uses, and increased the scope of environmental this variable, understanding the two children of the age of the classroom, campus, city in China and different environment map knowledge representation of the situation. The results showed that: the two children on the map of the geometric correspondence and symbols corresponding to two characterization have certain understanding; and with the increase of child’s experience, the understanding of the more comprehensive; also found two children on a range of environmental variables show differences, that is, with the increasing range of environmental, children "s cognition to map the more rough.Experiment 2 used rotation task paradigm, the rotation Angle, environment whether the scope of these variables on both age in the map representation geometry corresponding ability. The results show that with the increase of age, the ability of the child’s geometric correspondence is stronger, but it is not found that it is affected by the interaction of the two factors of the map rotation angle and the environment.Experiment 3a increased environmental cues variables, using the positioning task paradigm, the study under the different environment children of ages of the two symbols corresponding ability. Results show that: the older, child’s ability of symbols corresponding to better, for object positioning on the independent feature score higher, but range environment also did not produce differences in the ability to locate.Experiment 3b let children to see their own or experience to the real position and scene, draw a picture or map, to investigate the symbolic representation of the corresponding ability. Results show that: the older, better symbols corresponding to the ability of children, but due to the existence of the fact that the interaction of the complex influence factors, younger children showed the ability, well received by the environment size, but also by the object is independent of the effects of the environmental cues.This study focus on the child’s cognitive map and representation of capability and related influence factors, to explore the mechanism of child’s cognitive map and characterized, its significance lies in: this is a hot spot in research of spatial cognitive science, and preschool and primary school of our country to carry out the geography education, environmental education and spatial ability development provides a theoretical basis and practical basis, extremely practical significance.