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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Frame-by-Frame Video Analysis of Idiosyncratic Reach-to-Grasp Movements in Humans

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Published on: January 15, 2018

Change of reference frame for tactile localization during child development.

Birthe Pagel¹, Tobias Heed, Brigitte Röder

¹Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, University of Hamburg, Germany.

Developmental Science

|October 21, 2009

Summary

Children develop the ability to use an external reference frame for tactile perception around age five. This is evidenced by the emergence of the "crossed hand" effect in temporal order judgments (TOJ) tasks.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Psychology
Sensory Perception

Background:

Tactile perception and spatial localization are crucial for interaction with the environment.
The 'crossed hand' effect, where tactile judgments are less precise with crossed hands, suggests tactile remapping into an external reference frame.
Previous research indicated this remapping develops later in life, possibly during childhood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the developmental trajectory of using an external reference frame for tactile localization in children.
To determine the age at which children acquire the 'crossed hand' effect in temporal order judgments (TOJ).

Main Methods:

A tactile temporal order judgments (TOJ) task was administered to children aged 5 to 10 years.
Participants performed the TOJ task with both uncrossed and crossed hands.
Performance was assessed based on accuracy and precision of tactile order judgments.

Main Results:

Overall performance in the TOJ task improved significantly with age.
The 'crossed hand' effect, indicating the use of an external reference frame, was observed in children older than 5.5 years.
Younger children (below 5.5 years) did not exhibit the 'crossed hand' effect.

Conclusions:

The ability to utilize an external reference frame for tactile localization appears to be acquired around the age of 5 years.
This developmental milestone suggests a critical period for the maturation of spatial reference frame processing in tactile perception.
Findings support the hypothesis that external reference frame use for sensory input develops during childhood.