Influence of Children's Mental Imagery on Their Relation to Objects -A Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Study

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20321
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0110:Psychology and related fields
• Research Institution: Edogawa University
• Principal Investigator: Ishibashi Mikako 江戸川大学, 社会学部, 講師 (70962629)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: スケールエラー / 前頭葉 / 幼児 / NIRS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We examine whether children's tool selection is influenced by visual images of tool use presented by a model.Children were shown one of two video clips; a model manipulated an appropriately sized tool into an apparatus
(Correct condition; N =10,M = 39.4months) or an inappropriately sized tool into an apparatus but failed to use it in the end (Incorrectcondition; N = 17,M = 41.18months). After watching either video, children were given two sizes of tools; one was size-appropriate, and the other was size-inappropriate. They were required to play using the tools. The results showed that the prefrontal activation during the task was increased children who do not exhibit scale error than those who exhibit SE in both conditions. Among the data from children with scale error, prefrontal activation was more active in the incorrect condition than in the correct condition, suggesting that the incorrect image may be required to inhibit children’behavior more than the correct image.

Free Research Field

発達心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

幼児期のスケールエラーは，物体認識およびその行為の選択についての統合が未熟な状態を反映している現象とされ，状況にそぐわない優位な反応を抑制することが難しいために生じるという。本研究では物体の心的イメージが強く想起された際に，腹側経路で処理される「車」等の意味表象に基づいた行為選択が行われやすく，かつ，前頭前野における抑制能力の働きが弱いために，スケールエラーが見られることが考えられる。本研究は，スケールエラーの発達機序の解明において心的イメージに着目し，幼児期のイメージを介した物体認識及び認識に基づく行為の統合過程に踏み込んだ点において学術的意義があるといえる。