Contextual Factors in Early Comprehension and Production of Pictures

SALSA A. Y PERALTA, O.

San Antonio, Texas, EEUU

Congreso; Biennial Meeting of the Cognitive Development Society- CDS; 2009

Cognitive Development Society

Two general classes of findings provide the scientific background to this research.    Experience with a variety of symbolic artifacts and activities has been proposed as a mechanism underlying symbolic development (DeLoache, 2002). Naturally occurring symbolic experience is related to 2-year-olds’ use of video images and photographs in object retrieval tasks (Troseth et al., 2007). Socioeconomic status (SES) has traditionally been associated with cognitive development. Middle SES parents, compared with low SES parents, provide their children different experiences with television and books, as well as a different language environment that may impact children’s symbolic development (Anand & Krosnick, 2005; Hoff, Laursen & Tardif, 2002; Jordan, 2005; Peralta & Salsa, 2001). The current researcg investigates developmental relationships between SES and production and comprehension of pictures in 2.5- to 5-year-olds children (line drawings and photographs).