The Effects of Adding Coordinate Axes to a Mental Rotations Task in Measuring Spatial Visualization Ability in Introductory Undergraduate Technical Graphics Courses

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to determine whether the presence of coordinate axes in a test of spatial visualization ability affects scores and response times on a mental rotations task for students enrolled in undergraduate introductory graphic communications classes.  The theoretical framework of the study is based on Paivio's dual-coding theory (1991).  Coordinate axes were added to the Purdue Spatial Visualization Test - Visualization of Rotations (PSVT) to determine whether the presence of the axes was a sufficient contextual cue for improving scores and response times.  Eighty-one undergraduate students enrolled in introductory graphic communications classes during the 1997 fall semester completed a computer version of the PSVT.  The instrument consisted of two parts (each part containing 30 items).  Coordinate axes were added to Part 2 of instrument for the experiment group.  Item responses, response times, and demographic data were collected within the instrument.  The addition of coordinate axes had no significant effect on scores when differences were examined between the experimental and control groups.  It appears, however, that the addition of the axes eliminated gender difference on the PSVT.  There was no significant mean score difference between males and females on Part 2 of the PSVT for the experimental group.  Analyses of response times indicated that more time was required to process the additional information present with the coordinate axes.  There appears to be a significant learning factor that occurred during the study.  Mean score increased significantly between parts 1 and 2 of the PSVT for both the experimental and control groups.  Response times decreased significantly for both groups.