Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026
An Automated Method for Assessing Visual Acuity in Infants and Toddlers Using an Eye-Tracking System
Published on: March 17, 2023
Pointing at targets by children with congenital and transient blindness
Florence Gaunet1, Miriam Ittyerah, Yves Rossetti
1LIMSI-CNRS, Bat 508, BP 133, 91403 Orsay, France. gaunet@mnhn.fr
Insights
Congenitally blind (CB) and blindfolded sighted (BS) children demonstrated similar pointing accuracy. Both groups effectively used egocentric and allocentric frames of reference, regardless of age or visual experience.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Motor Control
Background:
- Understanding spatial representation development in children is crucial.
- Investigating the role of early visual experience in spatial cognition is important.
- Examining different frames of reference (egocentric, allocentric) provides insight into spatial processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare pointing accuracy in congenitally blind (CB) and blindfolded sighted (BS) children.
- To determine the influence of age and visual experience on pointing performance.
- To explore the use of egocentric and allocentric frames of reference in children with varying visual histories.
Main Methods:
- Participants: 6-12 year old CB and BS children (n=10 per group).
- Procedure: Passive target presentation on a sagittal plane, followed by immediate or delayed pointing with the contralateral index finger.
- Data Collection: Analysis of absolute distance errors and pointing surface area.
Main Results:
- Age influenced absolute distance errors, but not overall pointing accuracy.
- Congenitally blind children showed a smaller pointing surface area compared to blindfolded sighted children.
- Pointing delay significantly impacted performance, suggesting distinct spatial representations for immediate vs. delayed tasks.
Conclusions:
- Early visual experience and age are not critical predictors of pointing accuracy in children.
- Both CB and BS children can utilize both egocentric and allocentric frames of reference.
- The findings highlight the brain's adaptability in developing spatial representations independent of continuous visual input.
Abstract:
The study investigated pointing at memorized targets in reachable space in congenitally blind (CB) and blindfolded sighted (BS) children (6, 8, 10 and 12 years; ten children in each group). The target locations were presented on a sagittal plane by passive positioning of the left index finger. A go signal for matching the target location with the right index finger was provided 0 or 4 s after demonstration. An age effect was found only for absolute distance errors and the surface area of pointing was smaller for the CB children. Results indicate that early visual experience and age are not predictive factors for pointing in children. The delay was an important factor at all ages and for both groups, indicating distinct spatial representations such as egocentric and allocentric frames of reference, for immediate and delayed pointing, respectively. Therefore, the CB like the BS children are able to use both ego- and allocentric frames of reference.
