This project addresses several related issues within the domain of culture, language and cognition. Looking at the domain of spatial cognition, the proposed studies focus on whether and how language influences the way humans encode spatial relations in non-linguistic situations; the developmental trajectory of both acquisition of spatial language and spatial concepts; and the role of bilingualism in the acquisition and use of spatial concepts.
The study location harbors both monolingual Spanish and Tzotzil Maya speakers as well as a sizeable number of bilingual individuals. Compared to Spanish, Tzotzil Maya does not make use of relative (to the body) spatial references such as "right" and "left". It has been proposed that such language differences will affect non-linguistic spatial cognition. However, the research findings are less than clear, in part due to the treatment of language as an independent variable. The current research overcomes some of the previous shortcomings both through a unique combination of ethnographic and experimental research, and a unique study site. In addition to focus on cross-language differences the study explores intra-group differences, exploring other potential factors that could account for differences in non-linguistic spatial reasoning. These differences are traced through the development. Research with children is supported through a unique setting, the Vanderbilt Chochom' Summer school. This summer school not only provides a large number of kids to be interviewed, but more importantly provides an ideal space within which children can be interviewed in a relaxed and natural setting.
