Development of Geocentric Spatial Language and Cognition
An Eco-cultural Perspective

Investigates the acquisition and use of geocentric spatial language for children in Bali, India, Nepal, and Switzerland.

Pierre R. Dasen (Author), Ramesh C. Mishra (Author)

9780521191050, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 12 August 2010

408 pages
23.4 x 15.4 x 2.3 cm, 0.77 kg

'Dasen and Mishra invite us to revisit the concept of spatial knowledge from a radically decentered perspective. From Bali through India to Nepal, they treat us to a fascinating journey into a variety of cultures. This book offers a richly documented, refreshing alternative to the Western view of human spatial cognition and language.' Michel Denis, LIMSI-CNRS, National Center for Scientific Research, Orsay

Egocentric spatial language uses coordinates in relation to our body to talk about small-scale space ('put the knife on the right of the plate and the fork on the left'), while geocentric spatial language uses geographic coordinates ('put the knife to the east, and the fork to the west'). How do children learn to use geocentric language? And why do geocentric spatial references sound strange in English when they are standard practice in other languages? This book studies child development in Bali, India, Nepal, and Switzerland and explores how children learn to use a geocentric frame both when speaking and performing non-verbal cognitive tasks (such as remembering locations and directions). The authors examine how these skills develop with age, look at the socio-cultural contexts in which the learning takes place, and explore the ecological, cultural, social, and linguistic conditions that favor the use of a geocentric frame of reference.

Part I. Introduction and Methods: 1. Theory and research questions
2. Methods
3. Settings
Part II. Results: 4. Pilot study in Bali and first study (India and Nepal, 1999–2000)
5. Returning to Bali: main study 2002–7
6. Varanasi
7. Kathmandu
8. Panditpur
9. Geneva
Part III. Additional Studies: 10. Spatial language addressed to children
11. Geocentric gestures before language?
12. Spatial organization schemes
13. Neurophysiological correlates of geocentric space
14. Geocentric dead reckoning
Part IV. Conclusions: 15. Discussion and conclusions
Appendix 1. Summary of instructions, questionnaires, and coding schemes
Appendix 2. Examples of language in each location
Appendix 3. Extracts from school manuals.

Subject Areas: Cognition & cognitive psychology [JMR], Child & developmental psychology [JMC], Psycholinguistics [CFD]