Topology Bias Occurs Earlier Than Shape Bias When Children Classify Things By Similarities

Theory of Topological perception emphasized the priority of topological perception—topological perception is the basis on which perception of Euclidean depends. Topological perception also occurs earlier than perception of Euclidean (Lin Chen,2005). As for topological primacy thesis, it claims the developmental sequence of children’s space conception is first topological. and then projective and Euclidean(lan Darke,1982). The study of shape bias is last for ages, which proves that children attend to shape over color and texture in an category task and words extension task(Graham et al.,2010; Baldwin,1989; Saime Tek, Gul Jaffery, Lauren Swensen,Deborah Fein,&Letitia R.Naigles,2012).According to these studies and theories, we proposed two hypotheses:1.topology bias occurs earlier than shape bias;2.if the first hypothesis is proved to be right, we will continue to find the age of children who are in the transition from topology bias to shape bias.We test children with some papers which contain three objects, a target one. a topology-changed but shape-matched test object, and a shape-changed but topology-matched test object.All the papers are presented randomly to children one by one.Children are asked to chose one test object which is more like target one.If the child chooses the shape-matched one. he/she will score0point;if choosing the other one,he will score1point.There are three conditions:holes vs.. shapes.closure&openness vs.. shapes, inside&outside vs.. shapes.The experiment1shows that2-3years old children prefer topological properties rather than shapes significantly, the choices of3-4years old children are neither inclined to topological properties nor to shapes.4-5years old children attend to shapes over topological properties significantly The results of experiment2are following:on the condition of "shape-changed holes vs.. shapes",2-3years old children show a slightly(not every significantly) inclination to holes,the choices of3-4years old children are neutral,4-5years old children prefer shapes;on the condition of "size-changed holes vs.. shapes".2-3years old children prefer holes,3-4years old children don’t prefer neither of these traits.4-5years old children prefer shapes;on the condition of "openness vs.. shapes",2-3years old children prefer openness, while other two groups of subjects show no inclination;on the condition of "closure vs.. shapes".2-3years old children prefer closure.3-4years old children don’t prefer neither of these traits.4-5years old children prefer shapes.Basing on results, we claim that topology bias does occur earlier than shape bias when children classify things by similarities.2-3years old children show topology bias. while4-5years old children show shape bias.3-4years old children are in the transition from topology bias to shape bias.2-3years old children attend to topological properties--holes(despite of change of holes’size). closure. openness over shape. while the4-5year old children. quiet on the contrary. prefer shapes to topological properties.