Absolute and relative perceptual codes in young children

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to ascertain whether young children's perceptual codes, as evidenced by choice reaction times, were related to either the absolute difference or the ratio between stimuli. In Experiments 1 and 2, children were shown pairs of line lengths and were asked to choose either the longer or shorter line within each pair. In Experiment 3, children chose which of two birds on a map was closer to themselves or to the experimenter. In all three experiments, children's reaction times were related to both the absolute differences and ratios between pairs of stimuli. The findings suggest that perceptual judgments in young children may be based on both absolute and relational codes.