| dc.description.abstract | Background: There are strong indications that exploration behavior of young children affects their cognitive development, especially spatial cognition. Temperament of young children also seems to affect exploration behavior and spatial cognition, but this relation has not been researched yet to a great extent. Objective: In this study the correlation between temperament and exploration was examined among 9 and 12 month old infants. The correlation between temperament and spatial cognition was explored as well. Method: Three factors of exploration were distinguished, namely: visual exploration, object exploration and spatial exploration. These factors were measured by the use of the Dutch Questionnaire on Motor Experiences (2007). The Infant Behavior Questionnaire was used to measure temperament. This questionnaire contains six dimensions of temperament: Activity level, Distress of limitation, Smiling and laughter, Soothability, Duration of orienting and Distress and latency to approach new stimuli. The A-not-B task was used to measure spatial cognition at 12 months. Results: The expected correlation between the different dimensions of temperament and the factors of exploration and spatial cognition was not found. Regression analyses showed a trend that visual exploration at 9 months of age predicted spatial cognition measured at 12 months of age. Conclusions: Temperament does not seem to play a role in visual exploration, object exploration, spatial exploration and spatial cognition. Visual exploration does seem to be a good predictor of spatial cognition. | |
