年幼儿童是否能够凭借地标物辨别方向呢？在线发表于爱思唯尔期刊《认知》（Cognition）的一篇研究论文给出的答案是肯定的。
研究人员利用若干不同设想测试了3至7岁儿童辨别方向的能力，这些方案都是在开阔的公用场地实施的。通过在受测儿童身上配置全球定位系统（GPS）来评价辨别方向的结果，研究发现，所有年龄组的儿童辨别出正确方向的比例都高于随机概率。同时研究还发现，受测儿童辨认的正确率与试验场地的主要环境特点有紧密联系。当试验场地面积较大时，儿童更倾向于利用自然地标物辨别方向。试验场地色彩种类越多，受测儿童辨别方向的正确率越高，但同时也会受试验场地内地标物大小的影响。
最新研究表明，即使是三岁小孩也能够利用户外环境地标辨别方向。而所处环境的大小、地标物的大小和位置都会影响儿童辨别方向的灵敏度和偏好。（科学网 荔涛/编译）
（《认知》（Cognition），doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2007.10.008, Alastair D. Smith, Bruce M. Hood）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Reorientation in the real world: The development of landmark use and integration in a natural environment
Alastair D. Smitha, , , Iain D. Gilchrista, Kirsten Caterb, Naimah Ikrama, Kylie Notta and Bruce M. Hooda
aBristol Cognitive Development Centre, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, 12a Priory Road, Bristol BS8 1TU, UK
bDepartment of Computer Science, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UB, UK
Received 27 June 2007; revised 16 October 2007; accepted 28 October 2007. Available online 11 December 2007.
Abstract
An influential series of studies have argued that young children are unable to use landmark information to reorient. However, these studies have used artificial experimental environments that may lead to an underestimation of the children’s ability. We tested whether young children could reorient using landmarks in an ecologically valid setting. Children aged between 3 and 7 years completed a reorientation task in open parkland, and the properties of the search array (size and distinctiveness) were manipulated in a within-subjects design. Responses were recorded using Global Positioning Systems technology. All age groups performed above chance level, demonstrating that young children can reorient using natural landmarks. This behaviour was modulated by the nature of the search array: children were more accurate when the locations were spaced in a large array, and when the search locations were distinctively coloured. This suggests that the integration between landmarks and search locations, at different spatial scales, is a key factor in characterising human reorientation in the real world.
Keywords: Reorientation; Development; Landmarks
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