Forty predominantly Black third grade children were randomly assigned to eight groups and were asked a question regarding the relationship of elements in Hudson'-s pictorial depth perception task. The question varied in terms of "which (looks or is), (nearer or farther) to (you or man), the elephant or the antelope?" Performance in terms of ability to perceive depth was statistically significantly higher when Ss were asked "which looks/is farther... rather than nearer." No other effects were significant. Results are discussed in terms of the effects of lexical marking and attentional factors inherent in the relational words used in the question.

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A number (240) of Tanzanian schoolchildren, 60 from each of grades 1, 3, 5, 7, were individually tested on conservation of area, conservation of distance, and the concept of horizontality in the coordinate reference system. Responses were categorized on Piagetian stages of spatial competence and on a pass/fail basis. Results of chi-square anlayses showed that, at nearly all grade levels, the developmental sequence is: conservation of distance, conservation of area, and finally mastery of the concept of horizontality in the coordinate reference system. The stagewise progression was observed, but each stage was achieved at a later age as compared to Piaget's norms. It is argued that the acquisition of these concepts in children is a function of the spatial dimensions involved in each concept, and that environmental factors retard the developmental tempo of spatial concepts among the African children.