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Three tests of temporal orientation were administered to 5- to 9-year-old children from two socioeconomic backgrounds. The acquisition of conventional time systems, the capacity to evaluate the interval of time between the present and some important event (birthday, Christmas), and the capacity to make judgements of the relationship between two moments in time were examined. Age and socioeconomic background affected significantly the frequency of correct responses. Results are discussed in terms of the factors responsable for the acquisition of temporal orientation. Three factors are noted : the widening of the conceptual span, the possibility of associating the concepts with mental images or personal experiences, and verbal mediation.
