Reported are research findings that (1) illustrate the importance of primary spatial orientation for children's and adults' use of symbolic spatial skills and (2) indicate the importance of the distinction between primary and secondary spatial orientation. At least two major ways exist in which humans gather and use spatial information. The…

Two studies examined the progress in normally developing preschoolers' ability to produce actions with imagined objects (pantomimes). Found that young children not only had difficulty producing imaginary object representations in contrast to normal adults, they also had difficulty comprehending imaginary object representations and were better at…

Debates the merits of the claim that "symbolic technologies push cognitive growth earlier and longer." The results of an assessment are presented that involved three adult male peasants (two literate, one nonliterate) living in rural China and their ability to recall the text of "The Lonesome Opossum." (25 references) (GLR)