The developmental trajectories of spatial skills in middle childhood

Hodgkiss, A. and Gilligan‐Lee, K.A. and Thomas, Michael S.C. and Tolmie, A.K. and Farran, E.K. (2021) The developmental trajectories of spatial skills in middle childhood. British Journal of Developmental Psychology 39 (4), pp. 566-583. ISSN 0261-510X.

Abstract

The multidimensional structure of spatial ability remains a debated issue. However, the developmental trajectories of spatial skills have yet to be investigated as a source of evidence within this debate. We tested the intrinsic vs. extrinsic and static vs. dynamic dimensions of the Uttal et al. (2013) typology in relation to spatial development. Participants (N = 184) aged 6-11 completed spatial tasks chosen to measure these spatial dimensions. The results indicated that the developmental trajectories of intrinsic vs extrinsic skills differed significantly. Intrinsic skills improved more between 6 and 8 years, and 7 and 8 years, than extrinsic skills. Extrinsic skills increased more between 8 and 10 years than intrinsic skills. The trajectories of static vs. dynamic skills did not differ significantly. The findings support the intrinsic vs. extrinsic, but not the static vs. dynamic dimension, of the Uttal et al. (2013) typology.

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