Can You Follow Your Own Route Directions: How Familiarity and Spatial Abilities Influence Spatial Performance and Sketch Maps

Variance in spatial abilities are thought to be determined by in utero levels of testosterone and oestrogen, measurable in adults by the length ratio of the 2nd and 4th digit (2D:4D). We confirmed the relationship between 2D:4D and spatial performance using rats in two different tasks (paired-associate task and watermaze) and replicated this in humans. We further clarified anatomical and functional brain correlates of the association between 2D:4D and spatial performance in humans.

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Spatial Abilities for Architecture: Cross Sectional and Longitudinal Assessment With Novel and Existing Spatial Ability Tests

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2020.609363 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Michal Berkowitz ◽

Andri Gerber ◽

Christian M. Thurn ◽

Beatrix Emo ◽

Christoph Hoelscher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Ability ◽

Cross Sections ◽

Test Performance ◽

Spatial Abilities ◽

Domain Specificity ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Advanced Students ◽

Spatial Performance ◽

Ability Tests ◽

Object Composition

This study examined individual differences in spatial abilities of architecture students. Students at different educational levels were assessed on spatial ability tests that varied in their domain-specificity to architecture, with the hypothesis that larger differences between beginner and advanced students will emerge on more domain-specific tests. We also investigated gender differences in test performance and controlled for general reasoning ability across analyses. In a cross sectional study, master students (N = 91) outperformed beginners (N = 502) on two novel tests involving perspective taking and object composition, as well as on a standardized visualization of cross-sections test, but not on a standardized mental rotations test. Longitudinally (N = 117), spatial performance improved after the first bachelor year on visualization of cross-sections, object composition and mental rotation. Although both genders showed higher spatial test performance with increased experience, male students outperformed females across tests and levels of education. The results overall confirmed improvements in spatial performance during architecture studies, with partial support for the domain-specificity hypothesis. A gender gap among advanced students calls for further examining architecture-specific spatial thinking.

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Sex Differences in Self-Assessed, Everyday Spatial Abilities

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1982.55.1.200 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 200-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Patricia W. Lunneborg

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Social Influence ◽

Spatial Ability ◽

Spatial Abilities ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Spatial Performance ◽

Male College ◽

Self Assessments ◽

Critical Social

397 female and 383 male college students assessed themselves on six everyday spatial abilities relative to others of the same gender and age. Males consistently judged themselves to have significantly greater spatial ability than females. Differential participation in sports is tentatively suggested as a critical social influence affecting not only putative spatial performance but even within-gender self-assessments of commonplace activities using spatial ability.

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University entry score

Journal of Engineering Design and Technology ◽

10.1108/jedt-10-2013-0073 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 328-342 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

K. Sutton ◽

A. Williams ◽

D. Tremain ◽

P. Kilgour

Keyword(s):

Spatial Ability ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

School Experiences ◽

Spatial Abilities ◽

First Year ◽

Spatial Skills ◽

Ability Test ◽

Content Type ◽

Spatial Performance ◽

The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an insight into the relationship between students’ spatial ability and their university entrance score (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank [ATAR]). The ATAR provides entry into university studies but does not necessary provide a good measure of students’ spatial skills. Spatial abilities are fundamental to success in many design courses. This paper aims to show whether the ATAR is a good predictor of spatial skills and considers the implications of this. Design/methodology/approach Students entering university design courses in architecture were tested three times during their first year using a three-dimensional (3D) Ability Test (3DAT), an online psychometric test of 3D spatial ability. The students’ results in 3DAT were then compared to students’ ATAR scores using a Pearson’s correlation test were also conducted to assess the relationship between ATAR and spatial performance. Findings There was no correlation between ATAR and spatial performance. Therefore, there was no relationship between an individual’s ATAR and their spatial performance upon entering university. Research limitations/implications Participants were required to select their ATAR from ranges, i.e. 71-80, 81-90 and 91-100, which meant their exact ATAR was not recorded. This meant that the participants were clustered, making it difficult to establish a linear relationship that was a true reflection of the population. Practical implications Initiatives to support students entering design courses may be necessary to compensate for the range of spatial skills students possess when entering university because of their school experiences. Social implications Individuals who have strong spatial skills are able to perform spatial problems faster and more efficiently than those with weak spatial skills. High spatial performance has been shown relate to performance in areas such as mathematics science technology and design. Originality/value This paper fulfils the need to better understand the diversity of spatial abilities students have on entering design courses.

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Sex Differences in Self-Assessed, Everyday Spatial Abilities: Differential Practice or Self-Esteem?

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1984.58.1.213 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 58 (1) ◽

pp. 213-214 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Patricia W. Lunneborg

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Sex Differences ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Spatial Abilities ◽

Strong Correlations ◽

Gender And Age ◽

Spatial Performance ◽

Male College ◽

Same Gender ◽

Male College Students

358 female and 203 male college students compared themselves to others of the same gender and age on 10 everyday spatial abilities, also indicating for each ability the time spent per week in practice. Men's higher ratings for eight abilities were accompanied by greater practice on four. This finding, given equally strong correlations within each sex between rated ability and practice, lends more support to a hypothesis of differential practice between the sexes than differential self-esteem to account for sex differences in spatial performance.

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The “Arousal Effect”: An Alternative Interpretation of the Mozart Effect

American Journal of Undergraduate Research ◽

10.33697/ajur.2003.019 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Melecio Gonzalez Jr. ◽

Glenn Smith IV ◽

David Stockwell ◽

Robert Horton

Keyword(s):

Spatial Abilities ◽

Alternative Interpretation ◽

Active Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Mozart Effect ◽

Orthogonal Contrasts ◽

Spatial Performance ◽

Group 2 ◽

Spatial Test ◽

Arousal Effect

Previous research suggests that listening to Mozart’s music enhances performance on subsequent tests of spatial ability. One explanation for this result is that Mozart’s music produces a positive arousal state that increases alertness and thus, enhances spatial performance. In this study, we sampled elementary students in order to investigate (1) the presence of the Mozart effect and (2) the possibility that the Mozart effect can be explained by increased levels of arousal. We assigned participants randomly to (1) listen to Mozart (Mozart group), (2) play active games (active group), or (3) sit in silence (control group) prior to completing a spatial abilities task. We expected that (1) both the Mozart and active groups would perform better on the spatial test than the control group and (2) the active group would perform better on the spatial test than the Mozart group. Pre-planned orthogonal contrasts revealed that the Mozart and active groups outperformed the control group but the Mozart and active groups performed similarly. Implications of these data for understanding the Mozart effect and for improving grade school education are discussed.

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