re: sensory standard

Anna Strumphler (W.deVries who-is-at net.HCC.nl)
Wed, 24 Mar 1999 09:56:44

'Sensory standard' must be connected with the Russian word 'etalon' (also in
German/Dutch: etalon). Etalon means literaly 'standard measure' as used in
the proces of verifying measures, forms, weights etc (to gauge?).

The concept 'etalon' was used by Zaporozjets and L.A. Venger c.s. during
the sixties - zeventies in Moscow, in their research of the development of
perception in young children.

Particularly Venger elaborated the notion that a child internalises in his
early development images of coulours, forms, sizes and sounds from the
world around him that are generaly accepted, have intrinsic order and serve
as cultural etalons/standards. These images serve the child as mental
measuring-staffs (sensory standards) on the level of perception,
were the child acts with images. For instance: basic geometrical forms, the
coulours of the rainbow, internalised by the child in his construction,
drawing, and modelling activity.

According to Venger and his colleaques this proces of forming mental images
of cultural etalons that functions as internal sensory standards is an
essential and necessary condition for the development of concepts by the
child.

Anna

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Anna Strumphler, orthopedagogue
Amsteldijk 28,
1074 HT Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 20 6719906
e-mail: W.deVries who-is-at net.HCC.nl
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