Note on the development of mapping abilities: Controversy between nativism and constructivism

This paper summarizes the debate between Blaut and Downs (and his collaborator, Liben) concerning the development of mapping abilities of young children. Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development has been one of the most influential theories in the field of cognitive mapping research. Two essential elements of Piaget's theory regarding the developmental sequence of spatial abilities with age are nativism and constructivism. A forum in the Annals of the Association of American Geographers journal in 1997 on the mapping abilities of young children helped to distinguish the intrinsic duality of Piaget's developmental theory and its influence on the debate between Blaut and Downs/Liben. Both Blaut and Downs/Liben studied young children's ontogenetic development of mapping abilities, but they examined different aspects of Piaget's theory. On the basis of nativism, Blaut recognized that children can perform various mapping tasks regardless of age, and he insisted that children naturally possess mapping abilities, whereas Piaget implied that they could not. In contrast, on the basis of constructivism, Downs and his colleagues emphasized that children's mapping abilities are the effect of both direct and indirect learning experience, and they pointed out some deficiencies in Blaut's testing method. In spite of their contrasting standpoints, both researchers were influenced by Piaget's theories, but emphasized different aspects of the complex process of cognitive mapping development.