Abstract
This study was undertaken to examine the role of spatial searching function before and after arrangements of constructional elements and its developmental characteristics in constructional activity. One hundred forty children (from the second half of 3 to 10 years old) and 10 adults were given the task to construct a human face under blindfolded conditions. The movements of their fingers before and after arrangements of constructional elements were recorded by VTR and analyzed. The result showed that the searching function before arrangements contributed to get roughly and partially spatial relationships between elements; and after arrangements it also contributed to correct more extensively detailed spatial relationships between elements. The following developmental characteristics of searching function were suggested: (1) The acquisition of the searching function after arrangements was later than those before arrangements; (2) regardless of age, arranging position of each element was determined on the basis of only a few other parts; (3) in many cases the most suitable parts for determining arranging position were selected immediately before and after arrangements.
