Focal Point Location and Inversion Perception Among New Zealand Maori and Pakeha Children at Two Age Levels

Abstract

The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether differences in focal point dependency in inversion perception exist among New Zealand Maori (N # 42) and Pakeha (N # 44) boys and girls at two age levels. Ss were five- and eight-year-old children individually exposed to 12 figure pairs. The task was to indicate one figure of each pair as appearing upside down. Significant focal point dependency was exhibited for all groups (p < .01). Significant differences in focal point dependency were found between five- and eight-year-old Pakeha children (p < .025) and between eight-year-old Maori and eight-year-old Pakeha children (p < .05).