Impact of the Presentation Medium, Viewing Angle, and Iconicity of Maps on Four-Year-Old Children’s Map Reading

Objectives: This study investigated whether map reading by four-year-old children is affected by the presentation medium, viewing angle, and iconicity of maps.Methods: Ninety-eight four-year-old children were shown pairs of a model village and its map. The maps were presented either on an electronic screen or paper, with an oblique or vertical view and either on high or low iconicity. The children observed a researcher hiding a figure in a building in each model village and were asked to identify the figure location on the map.Results: The children identified figure locations more accurately with oblique view maps than with vertical view maps. They were also more accurate with high-iconicity maps than with low-iconicity maps. The presentation medium affected the children’s performance only when the maps had vertical views, with the children performing better on electronic maps than on paper maps. Similarly, the children performed better on electronic maps than on paper maps only when the maps had high iconicity. With low iconicity, the participants struggled regardless of the presentation medium.Conclusion: Map reading by four-year-old children is affected by the viewing angle and iconicity of the maps. In addition, presenting maps on an electronic screen may be beneficial for children as young as four years of age when the maps have vertical views or high iconicity.