In a Study by Spencer, Smith, and Thelen, 2-Year-Olds Watched

Essay

In a study by Spencer, Smith, and Thelen, 2-year-olds watched as a toy was buried in a sandbox at Location A. Following a 10-s delay, children searched for the object. After the A trials, children watched as a toy was hidden at Location B, 8 to 10 inches from Location A. In all experiments, children's searches after a 10-s delay were significantly biased in the direction of Location A. Furthermore, this bias toward Location A decreased with repeated trials to Location B, as well as when children completed fewer trials to Location A. Discuss how this behavior relates to the six stages of the decline of egocentrism that Piaget proposed. What does this finding tell us about the validity of Piaget's theory?