Individual Differences in Young Children’s Spatial Ability: A Systematic Review

Resumen

Individual differences in children’s spatial ability, both intrinsic and extrinsic, emerge in early childhood, with preschool- and school-age children showing a great deal of variability on spatial tasks that continue throughout life. These individual differences are predictive of children’s mathematics ability and achievement, children’s science ability and achievement, and later entry and success in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Thus, the identification of factors that affect individual differences in and development of children’s spatial ability is not only important for the advancement of theory but may also help us to identify barriers to successful STEM achievement. There is extensive literature suggesting that child characteristics such as motor skill, working memory and executive function, spatial anxiety, spatial play, teacher characteristics such as spatial anxiety and spatial competence, and parent characteristics including their own spatial ability and production of spatial language influence children’s spatial ability. This systematic review aims to outline mechanisms that explain the development of individual differences in children’s intrinsic and extrinsic spatial ability. As part of this systematic review of current literature, we introduce a framework for how individual differences in children’s spatial thinking develops. Lastly, we will discuss limitations of the existing literature and suggest directions for future research.

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Cómo citar (APA 7)

Garcia, N. L., Hall, L. V., & Pruden, S. M. (2021). Individual Differences in Young Children’s Spatial Ability: A Systematic Review. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/5mc2y