幼児における視知覚図形の把持について

抄録

The experiments were designed
1. In order to clarify the specific characteristics of children's memory of simple, visually perceived forms. Subjects were 372 children from 4: 6 to 5: 6 of age (mean 5: 0). Test figures were nearly common to those used by Koffka, Wulf, Hebb and others.
2. To avoid the difficulty in the successive reproduction method which Hebb has already pointed oud, procedures of the experiments consisted of both experimental and control groups. The Ss of the former recognized or reproduced the figures only once at each intervals (after five minutes, one hour, one day, one week, two weeks), while the Ss of the latter reproduced successivly.
3. The results are as follows:
1) Reproduced figures showed markedly various modifications, but it was impossible to find a one-directed and autonomous change of memory trace, fror xample, pointing or leveling, as Gestalt psychologists persistently insisted. The directions? of change were rather arbitrary than regular.
2) There were considerable inconsistencies between reproduced and recognized figures by the same Ss. Errors in reproduction did not prevent correct recognitions.
3) Tendencies seen in modified figures by the Ss were inexplicable in many cases, but in some cases, they could be explained as doe to identificationw ith the well-knowno bjects.
4) The application of the means which attract se attention to the details of figures, decreased errors conspicuously, though figures were the same.
5) When test figures were presented with naming on them, Ss showed remarkable tendency to reproduce figures similar to those of the named objects.
4. It is conceivable to add to the cause which interprets the above results that the errors in reproduction should be owing to the Ss' immaturity of abstract attitude, as Goldstein suggested.