Developmental changes in finger localization

This experiment examined the basis for developmental changes in finger localization performance. Groups of children aged 6, 8 and 10 years were tested on an uncrossed localization task and a crossed localization task or a model localization task. In the uncrossed localization task they used the stimulated hand to localize the stimulated fingers on the stimulated hand. In the crossed localization task they used the unstimulated hand to localize the stimulated fingers on the unstimulated hand. In the model localization task they used the stimulated hand to localize the stimulated fingers on a model hand. Localization for the uncrossed task was more accurate than for either the crossed or model tasks, but developmental differences in localization accuracy were comparable for each of the three localization tasks. The present results do not support the suggestion (Galin et al., Brain Lang. 4, 588-590, 1977; Quinn and Geffen, Neuropsychologia 24, 793-804, 1986) that developmental changes in crossed localization result from changes in the efficiency of interhemispheric transfer of information.