Different Perspectives: Spatial Ability Influences Where Individuals Look on a Timed Spatial Test

Autor/inn/en	Roach, Victoria A.; Fraser, Graham M.; Kryklywy, James H.; Mitchell, Derek G. V.; Wilson, Timothy D.
Titel	Different Perspectives: Spatial Ability Influences Where Individuals Look on a Timed Spatial Test
Quelle	In: Anatomical Sciences Education, 10 (2017) 3, S.224-234 (11 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Roach, Victoria A.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1935-9772
DOI	10.1002/ase.1654
Schlagwörter	Anatomy; Spatial Ability; Attention; Eye Movements; Cognitive Tests; Hypothesis Testing; Problem Solving; Accuracy; Reaction Time + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Anatomie; Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Aufmerksamkeit; Augenbewegung; Kognitiver Fähigkeitstest; Hypothesenprüfung; Hypothesentest; Problemlösen; Reaktionsvermögen
Abstract	Learning in anatomy can be both spatially and visually complex. Pedagogical investigations have begun exploration as to how spatial ability may mitigate learning. Emerging hypotheses suggests individuals with higher spatial reasoning may attend to images differently than those who are lacking. To elucidate attentional patterns associated with different spatial ability, eye movements were measured in individuals completing a timed electronic mental rotation test (EMRT). The EMRT was based on the line drawings of Shepherd and Metzler. Individuals deduced whether image pairs were rotations (same) or mirror images (different). It was hypothesized that individuals with high spatial ability (HSA) would demonstrate shorter average fixation durations during problem solving and attend to different features of the EMRT than low spatial ability (LSA) counterparts. Moreover, question response accuracy would be associated with fewer fixations and shorter average response times, regardless of spatial reasoning ability. Average fixation duration in the HSA group was shorter than LSA (F(1,8) = 7.99; P = 0.022). Importantly, HSA and LSA individuals looked to different regions of the EMRT images (Fisher Exact Test: 12.47; P = 0.018); attending to the same locations only 34% of the time. Correctly answered questions were characterized by fewer fixations per question (F(1, 8) = 18.12; P = 0.003) and shorter average response times (F(1, 8) = 23.89; P = 0.001). The results indicate that spatial ability may influence visual attention to salient areas of images and this may be key to problem solving processes for low spatial individuals. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01