Abstract

The purpose of these two studies was to examine sex differences in strategy use and the impact of prior exposure on the performance on Vandenberg and Kuse’s (1978) Mental Rotation Test. A total of 152 participants completed the spatial task and self-reported their strategy use. Consistent with previous studies, males outperformed females. Strategy usage did not account for these differences, although levels of guessing did. Previous exposure to the Mental Rotation Test, ACT scores, and frequent computer/video game play predicted performance on the test. These results suggest that prior exposure to spatial tasks may serve as a cue to improve participants’ performance.

Cherney, I. D., & Neff, N. L. (2004). Role of strategies and prior exposure in mental rotation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 98, 1269-1282.