Nonsymbolic
In the nonsymbolic condition, the children were introduced to the larger troll doll and the room. They were then shown a "machine that can shrink toys". The large troll doll was placed in front of the shrinking machine followed by the child and experimenter leaving the room. A tape recording of "sounds the shrinking machine makes when it is working" is played. When the sounds stopped, the children were taken into the room where the large troll doll was replaced with the small doll. The same procedure was used to make the small doll become larger. For the final part of the procedure, the machine was aimed at the room. When the sounds stopped, the lab was opened with the scale model sitting in the middle of the area previously occupied by the room.

Four trials were conducted in which the large and small dolls were hidden either in the room or in the scale model. After the doll was hidden, the child waited in an adjoining area while listening to the noise from the shrinking machine. The child was asked to find the doll. In this condition, the relationship between the model and room is not symbolic; it is presented as the same room in a shrunken or expanded state.