In the Scale Model Task, children are asked to retrieve an object hidden in a room after seeing the experimenter hide a miniature version of the object hidden in a scale model of the room. (pp. 242-244) The results of many experiments show that in this task:

• 2.5-year-olds fail.
• 3-year-olds succeed.
• 2.5-year-olds succeed if told model is shrunk version of the room in which they will search ("shrinking machine").
• Overall, children are more likely to succeed if the model is more similar (identical) to the room in which they perform the search.

Here are a few more pieces of the puzzle:

• Decreasing the physical salience of the scale model (by placing it behind a window), makes 2.5-year-olds more likely to succeed.
• Increasing the model's salience as an object (by letting the child manipulate it), makes 3-year-olds more likely to fail.

• 5-7-year-olds can succeed in this task with no instructions.
• 4-year-olds can succeed in this task with less instructions than 3-year-olds require.

1. Are these findings consistent with:
a) Piaget's explanation? Briefly explain why or why not.

b) Information Processing theory? Briefly explain why or why not.

c) Sociocultural theory? Briefly explain why or why not.

Anatomically detailed dolls are often use to interview children in cases of suspected sexual abuse, especially with very young children.

2. What do the results discussed above suggest about children's ability to use the doll as a representation of themselves?

3. Do any of the theories discussed above suggest a way to circunvent the potential problems of this method?