Engineers’ abilities influence spatial perspective changing
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/ijee.1.2.106-113
Abstract
In this paper we studied the effect of engineering expertise in providing directional judgments. We asked two groups of people, engineers and non-engineers, to observe and memorize five maps, each including a four-point path, for 30 sec. The path was then removed and the participants had to provide two directional judgments: aligned (the imagined perspective on the task was the same as the one just learned), and counter-aligned (the imagined perspective on the task was rotated by 180°). Our results showed that engineers are equally able to perform aligned and counter-aligned directional judgments. The alignment effect due to the distance from the learning perspective was, in fact, shown only by non-engineers. Results are discussed considering engineering both learning expertise and specific predisposition.
Keywords
Full Text:
FULL TEXT PDFReferences
Shelton, A.L., Gabrieli, J.D., 2004. Neural correlates of individual differences in spatial learning strategies. Neuropsychology, 18, 442–449.
Zancada-Menendez, C., Sampedro-Piquero, P., Lopez, L., McNamara, T.P., (2016). Age and gender differences in spatial perspective taking. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 28(2), 289-296.
Bocchi, A., Carrieri, M., Lancia, S., Quaresima, V., Piccardi, L., 2017. The Key of the Maze: The role of mental imagery and cognitive flexibility in navigational planning. Neuroscience Letters, 651, 146-150.
Carrieri, M., Lancia, S., Bocchi, A., Ferrari, M., Piccardi, L., Quaresima, V., 2018. Does ventrolateral prefrontal cortex help in searching for the lost key? Evidence from an fNIRS study.
Brain Imaging Behavior, 12(3), 785-797.
Sorby, S., Baartmans, B. J., 2000. The development and assessment of a course for enhancing the 3-D spatial visualization skills of first year engineering students. Journal of Engineering Education, 89(3), 301-307.
Sorby, S. A., Baartmans, B. J., 2003. A Course for Development of 3D Spatial Visualization Skills. Engineering Design Graphics Journal, 60(1), 13-20.
Newman, E.L., Caplan, J.B., Kirschen, M.P., Korolev, I.O., Sekuler, R., Kahana, M. J., 2007. Learning your way around town: how virtual taxicab drivers learn to use both layout and land- mark information. Cognition, 104, 231–253.
Inagaki, H., Meguro, K., Shimada, M., Ishizaki, J., Okuzumi, H., Yamadori, A., 2002. Discrepancy between mental rota¬tion and perspective-taking abilities in normal aging as¬sessed by Piaget’s Three-mountain task. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, 24, 18-25.
Hegarty, M., Waller, D., 2004. A dissociation between mental rotation and perspective-taking spatial abilities. Intelligence, 32, 175–191.
Hegarty, M., Kozhevnikov, M., Waller, D., 2004. Spatial Orientation Test. University of California.
Levine, M., Jankovic, I. N., Palij, M., 1982. Principles of spatial problem solving. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 111, 157-175.
Kozhevnikov, M., Hegarty, M., 2001. A dissociation between object-manipulation and perspective taking spatial abilities. Memory & Cognition, 29, 745-756.
Byrne, P., Becker, S., Burgess, N., 2007. Remembering the past and imagining the future: a neural model of spatial memory and imagery. Psychological Review, 114, 340–375.
Nori, R., Giusberti, F., 2003. Cognitive styles: errors in directional judgments. Perception, 32, 307–320.
Nori, R., Grandicelli, S., Giusberti, F., 2006. Alignment effect: primary –secondary learning and cognitive styles. Perception, 35, 1233–1249.
Valiquette, C. M., McNamara, T. P., Smith, K., 2003. Locomotion, incidental learning, and the selection of spatial reference systems. Memory & Cognition, 31: 479–489.
Presson, C. C., Hazelrigg, M. D., 1984. Building spatial representations through primary and secondary learning. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 10, 716–722.
Richardson, A. E., Montello, D. R., Hegarty, M., 1999. Spatial knowledge acquisition from maps and from navigation in real and virtual environments. Memory & Cognition, 27, 741–750.
Piccardi, L., Risetti, M., Nori, R., Tanzilli, A., Bernardi, L., Guariglia, C., 2011. Perspective changing in primary and secondary learning: A gender difference study. Learning and Individual Differences, 21, 114-118.
Nori, R., Piccardi, L., Guidazzoli, F., De Luca, D., Giusberti, F., 2015. Perspective changing in WalCT and VR-WalCT: A gender difference study. Computers in Human Behavior, 53, 316-323.
Nori, R., Giusberti, F., 2006. Predicting cognitive styles from spatial abilities. American Journal of Psychology, 119, 67–86.
Siegel, A. W., White, S. H. (1975). The development of spatial representations of large-scale environments. In H. W. Reese (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (pp. 9–55). New York: Academic Press.
Pazzaglia, F., De Beni, R., 2001. Strategies of processing spatial information in survey and landmark-centred individuals. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 13(4), 493-508
Boccia, M., Piccardi, L., Di Marco, M., Pizzamiglio, L., Guariglia, C., 2016. Does field independence predict visuo-spatial abilities underpinning human navigation? Behavioural evidence. Experimental Brain Research, 234, 2799–807.
Boccia, M., Piccardi, L., D’Alessandro, A., Nori, R., Guariglia, C., 2017 Restructuring the navigational field: individual predisposition towards field independence predicts preferred navigational strategy. Experimental Brain Research, 235, 1741–1748.
Boccia, M., Vecchione, F., Piccardi, L., Guariglia, C., 2017 Effect of Cognitive Style on Learning and Retrieval of Navigational Environments. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8,496.
Tascón, L., Boccia, M., Piccardi, L., Cimadevilla, J.M., 2017. Differences in Spatial Memory Recognition Due to Cognitive Style. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 8, 550.
Pazzaglia, F., De Beni, R., 2006. Are people with high and low mental rotation abilities differently susceptible to the alignment effect? Perception, 35, 369–383.
Piccardi, L., Bocchi, A., Palmiero, M., Verde, P., Nori, R., 2017. Mental imagery skills predict the ability in performing environmental directional judgements. Experimental Brain Research, 235, 2225-2233.
Méndez, M., Arias, N., Menéndez, J.R., Villar, J.R., Neira, A., Romano, P.V., Núñez, J.C., Arias, J.L., 2012. Pre-University Tuition in Science and Technology can Influence Executive Functions. Electronic Journal of Research in Educational Psychology, 12(3), 747-762.
Kinsey, B., 2003. Design of a CAD integrated physical model rotator [online]. Annual conference & exposition engineering education, Nashville, Tennessee. American Society of Engineering Education. 2003. Available from: http://www.ni.com/academic/journal_asee.htm [Accessed 12 June 2010].
Hsi, S., Linn, M. C., Bell, J. E., 1997. The role of spatial reasoning in engineering and the design of spatial instruction. Journal of Engineering Education, 86, 151–158.
Blasko, D. G., Holliday-Darr, K.A., 2010. Longitudinal analysis of spatial skills training in engineering graphics. Proc., 65th Midyear Meeting of the Engineering Design Graphics Division of the American Society for Engineering Education, Houghton, MI, 138–151.
Newcombe, N. S., 2016. Picture this: Increasing math and science learning by improving spatial thinking. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 10:1–6.
Uttal, D. H., Cohen, C. A., 2012. Spatial thinking and STEM education: When, why and how. Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 57, 147–181.
Uttal, D. H., Meadow, N.G., Tipton, E., Hand, L.L., Alden, A.R., Warren, C., Newcombe, N. S., 2012. The malleability of spatial skills: A meta-analysis of training studies. Psychological Bulletin, 139(2), 352–402.
Ha, O., Fang, N., 2016. Spatial Ability in Learning Engineering Mechanics: Critical Review.
Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering Education and Practice, 142(2), 10.1061/(ASCE)EI.1943-5541.0000266, 04015014.
Just, M. A., Carpenter, P. (1985). Cognitive coordinate systems: Accounts of mental rotation and individual differences in spatial ability. Psychological Review, 92, 137–172.
Verde, P., Piccardi, L., Bianchini, F., Trivelloni, P., Guariglia, C., Tomao, E., 2013. Gender effects on mental rotation in pilots vs nonpilots. Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine, 84, 726–729.
Sorby, S., Casey, B., Veurink, N., Dulaney, A., 2013. The role of spatial training in improving spatial and calculus performance in engineering students. Learning and Individual Differences, 26, 20- 29.
Lawton, C. A., 2010. Gender, spatial abilities, and wayfinding. In J. Chrisler and D. McCreary (Eds.), Handbook of Gender Research in Psychology, (New York, NY: Springer), pp. 317-341.
Verde, P., Piccardi, L., Bianchini, F., Guariglia, C., Carrozzo, P., Morgagni, F., Boccia, M., Di Fiore, G., Tomao, E., 2015. Gender differences in navigational memory: pilots vs. non Pilots. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, 86(2),103–111.
Verde, P., Boccia, M., Colangeli, S., Barbetti, S., Nori, R., Ferlazzo, F., Piccolo, F., Vitalone, R., Lucertini, E., Piccardi, L., 2016. Domain-Specific Interference Tests on Navigational Working Memory in Military Pilots. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, 87(6), 528-33.
Boccia, M., Verde, P., Angelino, G., Carrozzo, P., Vecchi, D., Piccardi, L., Colangeli, S., Cordellieri, P., Ferlazzo, F., Giannini, A.M., 2017. Effect of professional expertise and exposure to everyday life decision-making on moral choices. Neuroscience Letters, 654: 80-85.
Bandura, A., 1997. Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. New York: Freeman.
Schunk, DH., Di Benedetto, M. K., 2014. Academic self-efficacy. In Furlong M. J., Gilman R.,
Huebner E. S., Furlong M. J., Gilman, R., &Huebner, E. S. (Eds). Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools [pp 115-130], New York: Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
Moritz, S. E., Feltz, D. L., Fahrbach, K.R., Mack, D. E., 2000. The relation of self-efficacy measures to sport performance: a meta-analytic review. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 71, 280-94.
Pickering, S. J., Gathercole, S. E., Hall, M. Lloyd, S. A., 2001. Development of memory for pattern and path: further evidence for the fractionation of visuo-spatial memory. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 54A: 397–420.
Hagenberger, M., Johnson, P.E., Will, J., 2006. Understanding the Costs and Benefits of Using 3D Visualization Hardware in an Undergraduate Mechanics-Statics Course, 36th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, S4F-9.
McClurg, P., Chaille, C., 1987. Computer games: Environments for developing spatial cognition? Journal of Educational Computing Research, 3: 95–111.
Okagaki, L., Frensch, P., 1994. Effects of videogame playing on measures of spatial performance: Gender effects in late adolescence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,15, 33–58.
De Lisi, R., Cammarano, D., 1996. Computer experience and gender differences in undergraduate mental rotation performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 12, 351–361.
Duesbury, R., O’Neil, H., 1996. Effect of type of practice in a compare-aided design environment in visualizing three-dimensional objects from two-dimensional orthographic projections. Journal of Applied Psychology, 81, 249–260.
Saccuzzo, D., Craig, A., Johnson, N., Larson, G., 1996. Gender differences in dynamic spatial abilities. Personality and Individual Differences, 21, 599–607.
Larson, P., Rizzo, A., Buckwalter, J., Van Rooyen, A., Kratz, K., Neumann, U., Kesselman, C., Thiebaux, M., Van Der Zaag, C., 1999. Gender issues in the use of virtual environments. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 2, 113–123.
Rizzo, A., Buckwalter, J., Neumann, U., Chua, C., Van Rooyen, A., Larson, P., Kratz, K., Kesselman, C., Thiebaux, M., Humphrey, L., 1999. Virtual environments for targeting cognitive processes: An overview of projects at the University of Southern California. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 2, 89–100.
Roberts, J., Bell, M., 2000. Sex differences on a computerized mental rotation task disappear with computer familiarization. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 91, 1027–1034.
De Lisi, R., Wolford, J., 2002. Improving children’s mental rotation accuracy with computer game playing. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 163, 272–283.
Sims, V., Mayer, E., 2002. Domain specificity of spatial expertise: The case of the video game players. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 16, 97–115.
Subrahmanyam, K., Greenfield, P., 1996. Effect of videogame practice on spatial skills in girls and boys. In: P. Greenfield and R. Cocking (Eds.), Interacting with video (pp. 95–114). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
Feng, J., Spence, I., Pratt, J., 2007. Playing an action video game reduces gender differences in spatial cognition. Psychological Science, 18, 850–855.
O’Boyle, M.W., 1998. On the relevance of research findings in cognitive neuroscience to educational practice. Educational Psychology Review, 10(4), 397-409.
Sorby, S. A., 1999. Developing 3D spatial visualization skills. Engineering Design Graphics Journal, 63(2), 21–32.
Chen, W. C., Whitehead, R., 2009. Understanding physics in relation to working memory. Research in Science & Technological Education, 27(2), 151-160.
Coluccia, E., Louse, G., 2004. Gender differences in spatial orientation: a review. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 24, 329–340.
Sweller, J., 1994. Cognitive load theory, learning difficulty, and instructional design. Learning and Instruction, 4,295-312.
Baenninger, M., Newcombe, N., 1989. The role of experience in spatial test performance: a meta-analysis. Sex Roles, 20 (5–6), 327–344.
Vasta, R., Knott, J.A., Gaze, C.E., 1996. Can spatial training erase the gender differences on the water-level task?, Psychology of Women Quarterly, 20 (4), 549–67.
Tufte, E.R., 2001. The visual display of quantitative information (2nd edn.). Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press.
Phillips, L.M., Norris, S.P., Macnab, J.S., 2010. Visualization in mathematics, reading, and science education. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Shoresh, N., Wong, B., 2012. Data exploration. Nature Methods, 9(1), 5.
Wai, J., Lubinski, D., Benbow C. P., 2009. Spatial Ability for STEM Domains: Aligning Over 50 Years of Cumulative Psychological Knowledge Solidifies Its Importance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 101, 817–835.
Nazareth, A., Huang, X., Voyer, D., Newcombe, N., 2019, A meta-analysis of sex differences in human navigation skills. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-019-01633-6.
Hegarty, M. Crookes, R.D., Dara-Abrams, D., Shipley, T.F., 2010, Do all science disciplines rely on spatial abilities? Preliminary evidence from self-report questionnaires. In Hölscher, C. et al. (Eds.). Spatial Cognition VII, LNAI, 6222, pp. 85-94 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
 |  |  |  | |
 |  |  |  | |
 |