The relationship between mobility and spatial reasoning in children across cultures

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There are gender differences in both spatial cognition and experiences in navigating space, and these differences are found across a wide range of societies. Out of doors, males tend to range farther than females and are more confident in their navigational abilities, and males also outperform females on many spatial tasks. One explanation for these effects is that having the opportunity to navigate through larger areas may enhance both spatial skills and confidence. These behavioral differences appear in middle childhood, and have the potential to shape spatial learning throughout life. This study will investigate these relationships among children in three foraging societies, to explore how children's mobility affects spatial learning and confidence, and why these often differ between girls and boys. Children in these societies have greater exposure to the natural environment than children in industrialized societies, and are given greater latitude for independent spatial exploration, which are likely to provide a learning environment conducive to good spatial and navigational ability. As a result, studying this question cross-culturally provides an opportunity to more directly examine the impact of spatial exploration and navigation on the development of spatial cognition. The outcomes of the research will have important insights for optimizing spatial reasoning across cultures.The study will include children 7 to 12 years old, and will take place in three populations that depend in whole or part on foraging for sustenance and therefore permit significant opportunities for ranging across large natural spaces: the Hadza (Tanzania), the Twe (Namibia), and the Tsimane (Bolivia). Data on natural mobility (from GPS tracking and interview), spatial performance (spatial visualization and navigation), and spatial risk-taking will be used to answer three questions: (1) Is greater mobility in childhood associated with enhanced spatial confidence and performance? (2) Do gender differences in mobility stem from gender differences in risk preference? (3) How are mobility and wayfinding shaped by environmental factors? The three societies live in habitats that vary in both resource patchiness and in landmark visibility; based on their earlier work with adults, the investigators expect greater resource patchiness to increase male mobility, and greater landmark visibility to enhance reliance on male-typical wayfinding strategies. The project will provide valuable opportunities for training students in cross-cultural research approaches and in inter-disciplinary collaboration.