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Training Generalized Spatial Transformation Skills

Training Generalized Spatial Transformation Skills. Giorgio Ganis Harvard University Stephen M. Kosslyn Harvard University Nora S. Newcombe Temple University. William L. Thompson Harvard University Rebecca Wright Oxford University. Background Methods Results

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Training Generalized Spatial Transformation Skills

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  1. Training Generalized Spatial Transformation Skills Giorgio Ganis Harvard University Stephen M. Kosslyn Harvard University Nora S. Newcombe Temple University William L. Thompson Harvard University Rebecca Wright Oxford University

  2. Background • Methods • Results • Summary & Conclusions

  3. Background • Methods • Results • Summary & Conclusions

  4. Why study spatial skills? • Key in domains such as mathematics, natural sciences and engineering • Play a role in reasoning and communication

  5. Can spatial skills be improved through practice? • Meta-analytic evidence (e.g., Baenninger & Newcombe, 1989) • Nature of improvement remains unclear, due to methodological/experimental limitations: • Transfer to novel stimuli ? • Transfer to other spatial tasks ? • What processes are affected ? • New study on spatial transformation skill improvement with practice

  6. QUESTION Can practice on a spatial transformation task transfer to other spatial transformation tasks?

  7. Paradigms to study spatial skill training • Task component analysis • Mental Rotation • Initial encoding • Rotate one object • Compare objects to make decision • Response

  8. Paradigms to study spatial skill training • Gains should be tested with new stimuli • Rule out instance-based improvement (memory for specific items) • Need large sets of stimuli

  9. Paradigms to study spatial skill training • Symmetric assessment of transfer between spatial tasks • Group 1: Trained on Task A and tested on Task B • Group 2: Trained on Task B and tested on Task A

  10. Paradigms to study spatial skill training • Inclusion of a non-spatial control task • Rule out generic transfer effects

  11. Paradigms to study spatial skill training • Intensive training to produce large gains

  12. Background • Methods • Results • Summary & Conclusions

  13. Participants 31 participants (17 females, 14 males)

  14. Spatial Transformation Difficulty Mental Rotation Task (MRT) 48 Adapted from Shepard & Metzler (1971)

  15. DIFFERENT Mental Rotation Task (MRT) SAME

  16. Adapted from Shepard & Feng (1972) Spatial Transformation Difficulty Mental Paper Folding Task(MPFT)

  17. Mental Paper Folding Task(MPFT) SAME DIFFERENT

  18. Verbal Analogies Task (VAT) Adapted from Morrison et al. (2004)

  19. Verbal Analogies Task(VAT) SAME DIFFERENT

  20. Initial Session Practice Phase Final Session MRT (N=31) MRT (N=17) MRT (N=31) MPFT (N=31) MPFT (N=14) MPFT (N=31) VAT (N=31) VAT (N=31) Design Day 1 Day 2-22 Day 23

  21. RT angle y = a + bx Task component analysis • Initial encoding • Transform one object • Compare objects to make decision • Response • Transfer: spatialtransformation processes (in addition to other spatial processes) shared by the two spatial tasks but not by the control task

  22. Background • Methods • Results • Summary & Conclusions

  23. RT angle Mean Error Rate 20 10 Practice Session Results 3000 2000 Mean Response Time 1000 18 12 6

  24. Results

  25. 20 10 Practice Session Results 3000 2000 Mean Response Time 1000 12 Mean Error Rate 8 4

  26. Results

  27. Results General Factors? • Transfer does not significantly affect slopes

  28. Results

  29. Results

  30. Background • Methods • Results • Summary & Conclusions

  31. Summary & Conclusions • Symmetric transfer of practice between spatial transformation tasks • Improvement beyond general factors Can practice on a spatial transformation task transfer to other spatial transformation tasks? YES

  32. Remaining questions • Why didn’t many previous studies find transfer to other spatial tasks? • Task similarity? • Practice duration and regime? • Other methodological differences? • Need for more data and systematic meta-analyses

  33. Remaining questions • Why did reliable transfer occur only on intercepts but not on slopes? • Power issues ? • Improvement may occur in the initial spatial encoding of the stimulus • The slope/intercept decomposition of these classic tasks may need to be revised

  34. Thank you!

  35. Design

  36. MRT (N=31) MRT (N=31) MRT (N=31) MRT (N=31) MRT (N=17) MRT (N=17) … MPFT (N=31) MPFT (N=31) MPFT (N=31) MPFT (N=31) MPFT (N=14) MPFT (N=14) … Design Initial Session Final Session Practice Phase Day 1 Day 2-22 Day 23

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