High Visuospatial Ability Research Articles

Optical angle and visuospatial ability affect basic laparoscopic simulator task performance

Surgical trainees show decreased performance during laparoscopic surgery when the laparoscope (camera) is not aligned with their line of sight towards the operating area. In this study we investigate the influence of visuospatial ability on laparoscopic simulator performance under such non-zero optical angles. Novices were invited to participate in a laparoscopic training session. After completing a visuospatial ability assessment, they performed a simplified laparoscopic task on an in-house developed laparoscopic simulator under eight different optical angles ranging between 0° and 315° in steps of 45°. Data-analysis showed decreased performance under all non-zero optical angles for task duration (mean difference between 1506 and 5049 ms, standard error between 499 and 507, p < .05) and for accuracy under optical angles greater than ±45° (mean difference between 1.48 and 2.11, standard error 0.32, p < .01). Performance-zones were identified for various optical angle ranges and differed for task duration and accuracy. Participants of high visuospatial ability performed significantly better under non-zero angles for accuracy compared to participants of low visuospatial ability (mean difference 0.95, standard error 0.34, p < .01), except for the 180° optical angle (no difference).

GPS Digital Nudge to Limit Road Crashes in Non-Expert Drivers.

Many automotive industries are developing technologies to assist human drivers in suggesting wiser choices to improve drivers’ behaviour. The technology that makes use of this modality is defined as a “digital nudge”. An example of a digital nudge is the GPS that is installed on smartphones. Some studies have demonstrated that the use of GPS negatively affects environmental learning because of the transformation of some spatial skills. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the GPS nudge and its relationship with spatial ability, together with its function in supporting the driving behaviour of non-expert drivers, in order to reduce the number of road crashes. A total of 88 non-expert drivers (M age = 21 years) filled in questionnaires and carried out tasks to measure spatial abilities, sense of direction, driver behaviour, and six different real-life driving scenarios. The results reveal that the higher the spatial skills are, the greater the GPS use is, and that drivers who use GPS improve their sense of direction. Moreover, people with high visuospatial abilities use GPS more extensively. Finally, young drivers do not consider the GPS aid to be useful when they have no time pressure. The results are discussed by taking into account the familiarity-and-spatial-ability model.

Does Online Anatomy Course Delivery Improve Visuospatial Ability in Novice Learners?

IntroductionThe study of anatomy can be challenging for students, as complex anatomical and spatial relationships can be difficult to master, particularly in virtual learning environments. Having good visuospatial ability (VSA) can be important for students to have in order to help them understand complex three‐dimensional relationships. There is evidence that learning anatomy in‐person can improve an individual's VSA and that those with higher VSA perform better in anatomy courses. However, no research has explored what effect learning anatomy in a completely virtual environment has on VSA. Thus, the first aim of this study is to determine if there are changes in VSA with online anatomy instruction in novice learners over one semester, and second, to examine if those with higher VSA interact differently with online resources. For our first aim, we hypothesize there will be an overall improvement in VSA over the course of the semester. Our second aim will be analyzed at a later date.MethodsFirst‐year undergraduate anatomy students at the University of Toronto were recruited for this study (n = 253). At the beginning of the semester in September 2021, before learning anatomical content, participants completed the redrawn Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Test (MRT‐A) which consisted of 24 questions. For the MRT‐A, participants were presented with a target figure and four stimulus figures, where two were a match to the target figure, but had been rotated. If both stimulus figures chosen were correct, one point was rewarded, for a total of 24 points and the full scores calculated out of 100 (24/24). In December 2021, another MRT‐A test will be administered, along with an online questionnaire that will ask students about what type of resources they used throughout the semester and how often they were used. In January 2022, focus groups will be conducted to gain a more in‐depth understanding into which learning tools students found most useful and why, along with how they were being used.ResultsPreliminary results indicate an initial mean score of 35.20 ± 17.54 with a median of 33.33. Students that scored below the median were categorized as low VSA (n = 112) and those who scored above were categorized as high VSA (n = 140). Additionally, the mean of students that identify as male had a mean of 40.55 ± 18.14 (high VSA = 83; low VSA = 39), those who identify as female had a mean of 30.03 ± 29.17 (high VSA = 55; low VSA = 70), and those who identify as non‐binary or chose “Prefer not to say” had a mean of 31.25 ± 17.14 (high VSA = 2; low VSA = 2). There was a significant difference between the mean score for males and females (p&lt;0.001), but not for any other comparison.ConclusionsInitial results appear to be in line with previous research suggesting that males have higher VSA than females. Future analyses will provide a more in‐depth evaluation of overall changes in VSA, gender VSA changes, and the type of resources students engaged with during their online anatomy course. This research may be used as a baseline for further studies exploring course delivery in‐person, mixed, and remote to help instructors create equitable learning environments for students with differing VSA. Additionally, this research will help inform the development of an anatomy learning toolkit that will be used to help leaners develop better spatial reasoning skills.

Improving Soccer Players' Memorization of Soccer Tactics: Effects of Visual Realism, Soccer Expertise, and Visuospatial Abilities.

In this study, we aimed to examine the effect of visual realism on soccer players' memorization of soccer tactics according to their level of expertise and visuospatial abilities. We divided 48 volunteers into novice and expert soccer players and had them first perform a multitask visuospatial abilities (VSA) test and then undergo training with three dynamic soccer scenes, each presented with varied levels of realism (schematic, moderately realistic, and highly realistic). We then tested players' memorization and reproduction of the soccer scenes and measured their visual processing with eye-tracking glasses to identify their cognitive processes during memorization. We found that reducing visual realism improved visual processing and memorization when compared to higher realism (p < .001). Second, both higher (vs. lower) player expertise and higher (vs. lower) VSA influenced visual processing and enhanced memorization efficiency (p < .001). Third, there were significant interaction effects between visual realism, player expertise, and player VSA (p < .001) such that players with high VSA benefited more from reduced (vs. accentuated) visual realism than did players with low VSA. Thus, increasing visual realism can hinder tactical learning effectiveness, especially for learners who lack domain expertise and visuospatial abilities. Practically speaking, coaches and educators might improve their communications by tailoring tactical instructions to learners' cognitive skills.

Virtual Dissection: An Interactive Anatomy Learning Tool.

The novelty of three-dimensional visualization technology (3DVT), such as virtual reality (VR), has captured the interest of many educational institutions. This study's objectives were to (1) assess how VR and physical models impact anatomy learning, (2) determine the effect of visuospatial ability on anatomy learning from VR and physical models, and (3) evaluate the impact of a VR familiarization phase on learning. This within-subjects, crossover study recruited 78 undergraduate students who studied anatomical structures at both physical and VR models and were tested on their knowledge immediately and 48hours after learning. There were no significant differences in test scores between the two modalities on both testing days. After grouping participants on visuospatial ability, low visuospatial ability learners performed significantly worse on anatomy knowledge tests compared to their high visuospatial ability counterparts when learning from VR immediately (P=0.001, d=1.515) and over the long-term (P=0.003, d=1.279). In contrast, both low and high visuospatial ability groups performed similarly well when learning from the physical model and tested immediately after learning (P=0.067) and over the long-term (P=0.107). These results differ from current literature which indicates that learners with low visuospatial ability are aided by 3DVT. Familiarizing participants with VR before the learning phase had no impact on learning (P=0.967). This study demonstrated that VR may be detrimental to low visuospatial ability students, whereas physical models may allow all students, regardless of their visuospatial abilities, to learn similarly well.

Assessing the Relationship Between Students’ Approaches to Learning, Visuospatial Abilities, and Performance in an Undergraduate Human Anatomy Course

Learning is difficult to quantify. Several metrics for successful student learning have been explored, the most popular of which is academic performance. However, academic performance does not always accurately represent nuanced outcomes such as meaningful learning and skill development, nor is it a successful predictor of long‐term knowledge retention. One metric that has demonstrated alignment with such qualitative learning outcomes is student approach to learning; a framework that evaluates the depth with which students interact with their learning environment and the course content. However, the student approach to learning framework has yet to be adequately investigated for its reliability as a metric for learning in human anatomy, specifically. One measure that has been shown to predict learning achievement in human anatomy is visuospatial ability. Individuals with high visuospatial abilities are typically faster and more successful at performing three‐dimensional anatomy tasks than those with low visuospatial abilities. It has been suggested that this may be due to differences in strategies used for learning by students with high (versus low) visuospatial abilities. Despite this, the degree of correlation between students’ approaches to learning and visuospatial abilities has yet to be investigated. The present study therefore aimed to examine the relationship between students’ approaches to learning, visuospatial abilities, and performance in anatomy to investigate the validity of the student approach to learning framework as an alternative metric to evaluate anatomy learning. Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Kinesiology students (n = 35) completed a Mental Rotations Test and Revised 2‐factor Study Process Questionnaire after the end of their first anatomy course. Responses and final course grades were examined using regression analyses to detect their degrees of correlation. We hypothesized that visuospatial ability would correlate positively with both anatomy performance and deep approach to learning scores and have a negative correlation with surface approach to learning scores. However, no significant correlations were found between visuospatial ability and deep or surface approach to learning scores at p ≤ 0.05. Anatomy performance was positively correlated with deep approach to learning scores (β = 0.427, p = 0.02) and negatively correlated with surface approach to learning scores (β = ‐0.704, p &lt; 0.01) but had no significant correlation with visuospatial ability at p ≤ 0.05. The data suggest that visuospatial ability does not significantly influence students' approaches to learning; however, additional research on larger populations is required to explore these relationships further.

The role of visuospatial abilities in memorizing animations among soccer players

Abstract Objectives The use of dynamic media such as animations for educational purposes in the sport field keeps growing. However, not adapting these information-enriched supports to learners’ perquisites can diminish their learning efficiency. In this paper, we studied the effect of visuospatial abilities (VSA) on the memorization of a dynamic tactical scene among soccer players. Methods Participants (N=48) performed a multitask VSA test (control test) to distinguish people with “high” and “low” VSA. Then, they were required to memorize and reproduce a dynamic sequence (main test). Results Results indicate a learning enhancer effect of VSA. Players with high VSA were more efficient in memorizing the sequence than those with low VSA. Conclusion Results suggest considering VSA in order to optimize learning from dynamic presentations even if participants belong to the same group. In addition, VSA training for athletes is recommended in order to enhance their learning of dynamic visual content.

Spatial working memory encoding type modulates prefrontal cortical activity.

Spatial working memory (SWM) involves both simultaneous and sequential encoding, but the differences in their neural correlates are unclear. We investigated the differences in prefrontal cortex activity related to these SWM encoding types. We also examined the patterns of brain activity influencing individual visuospatial abilities (VSA). We conducted SWM tasks with two different conditions, sequential and simultaneous encoding, and examined hemodynamic activity in 39 healthy adults using near-infrared spectroscopy. The bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex was activated more strongly in the sequential condition compared with the simultaneous condition. This suggests that prefrontal cortex activity underlying SWM is modulated by the type of encoding. We also found that individuals with high VSA showed weaker activation in the right-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared with those with lower VSA during the simultaneous condition. This hypoactivation is thought to reflect neural efficiency in the individuals with high ability. These findings are expected to lead to a better understanding of neural substrates for SWM.

Visuospatial ability and novice brachial plexus sonography performance.

The knowledge on the type and influence of visuospatial ability on sonography performance relevant for ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia remains incomplete. The aim of this study was to determine whether four different factors of visuospatial ability are important in determining proficiency and procedure time of novices performing brachial plexus sonography. These factors were spatial visualisation, flexibility of closure, spatial relations and speed of closure. Thirty-three ultrasound novices were recruited in this prospective, observational trial. Five cognitive tests, from a standardised battery that assesses all four visuospatial factors, were administered to each participant at the start of the study. Each novice then performed brachial plexus sonography on a human model at baseline and final exams, separated by a discovery learning session. Novices were examined in their sonography performance by blinded assessors who scored proficiency, technique, image quality, and time taken to perform at both baseline and final scans. Novices with intermediate and high visuospatial ability in spatial visualisation, spatial relations and speed of closure were significantly more proficient and efficient compared with their peers stratified into low-ability cohorts (P < 0.02). The Matrix Reasoning and the Mental Rotations Test-A were both correlated with sonography final exam scores (Spearman rank correlation ρ = 0.38 and 0.36, P = 0.03 and 0.04, respectively). Spatial visualisation, spatial relations and speed of closure, but not flexibility of closure, influence sonography performance. Visuospatial ability testing can identify novices who will require extra assistance in learning ultrasound relevant for regional anaesthesia. ( Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry 12614000819628).

Watching corresponding gestures facilitates learning with animations by activating human mirror-neurons: An fNIRS study

This study investigates whether displaying gestures that correspond to the depicted movements enhances learning about non-human biological movements with dynamic visualizations compared to displaying non-corresponding gestures. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) was used to assess whether both types of gestures activate the human mirror-neuron system (hMNS). Low-visuospatial-ability learners benefited from corresponding gestures only, whereas high-visuospatial-ability learners achieved good results with both types of gestures. Accordingly, only low-visuospatial-ability learners showed higher activation of the inferior-frontal cortex (part of the hMNS) for corresponding than for non-corresponding gestures. Furthermore, low-visuospatial-ability learners watching non-corresponding gestures yielded better results when their inferior-parietal cortex (another part of the hMNS) was activated. Thus, three factors predict positive learning outcomes: higher visuospatial abilities, inferior-frontal cortex activation, and inferior-parietal cortex activation. In sum, activating the hMNS seems to facilitate learning about biological movements, and stimulating the hMNS by means of corresponding gestures might be an adequate instructional strategy to support low-visuospatial-ability learners.

Learning with dynamic and static visualizations: Realistic details only benefit learners with high visuospatial abilities

Learning environments can nowadays easily be enriched with different presentation formats of visualizations, because computer graphics technology is constantly and rapidly developing. This study investigates the effectiveness of dynamic compared to static visualizations. Moreover, the influence of realistic details in the visualizations as well as learners’ prerequisites in terms of their visuospatial abilities were addressed. Eighty university students were randomly assigned to four conditions of a two-by-two between subjects design with the two independent variables dynamism and realism. Learning outcomes were measured by means of a verbal factual knowledge test about the terminology and visuospatial details and a pictorial recognition test about the dynamic processes. Data analyses revealed no effects for factual knowledge. With respect to recognition, learners with dynamic visualizations outperformed learners with static visualizations. Furthermore, there was an interaction between learners’ visuospatial abilities and the degree of realism in the visualization: learners with lower visuospatial abilities showed better recognition with schematized visualizations, whereas learners with higher visuospatial abilities showed better recognition with realistic visualizations. The results imply that when designing instructional materials, both the type of knowledge that has to be acquired as well as learners’ prerequisites such as their visuospatial abilities need to be considered.

Gaze tracking quantifies shifts in focus due to anatomy learning (535.9)

This study aims to identify the shifts in gaze patterns that are correlated with learning. The gaze patterns of Medical Gross Anatomy students (n=31) were recorded as they identified tagged anatomical structures. Each student was assessed before the start of the course (baseline) and after one of 3 sequential section exams (revisit). We predict that as they become familiar with the course material, students should fixate longer on Areas of Interest (AOIs) that are relevant to identifying the structure. The experiment is still ongoing, but early results indicate that subjects’ attention focuses with experience. This trend is more pronounced in individuals with higher visuospatial ability (VSA). At baseline, individuals with high VSA spend 15‐20% more time examining non‐AOI (i.e., irrelevant background) regions of the images, whereas at revisit they spend proportionally more time fixating on the structure itself or on AOIs useful for identifying the structure. Individuals with low VSA show similar but less pronounced trends (5‐10% shift in fixation location), indicating less strategic search strategy. These shifts in focus are not observed when the subjects view structures with which they are not familiar due to having not yet encountered that content in the course. These results indicate that gaze tracking may be a useful tool for documenting anatomy learning.

Enhancing neuroanatomy education using computer-based instructional material

The understanding of spatial relationships between brain structures taken from conventional sectional images is a major problem in learning anatomy. However, scientific literature has suggested that higher visuospatial abilities and computer-based instructional 3D visualizations may facilitate learning anatomy. This paper aims (1) to develop a computer-based tool to explore neuroanatomy based on three-dimensional images and (2) to compare whether the educational value assigned by students varies according to their visuospatial ability. An anatomical and functional viewer was developed with Positron Emission Tomography images to visualize three-dimensional models of real brain structures. Students assigned a high educational value to this tool, regardless of their visuospatial skills. The discussion section analyzes the implications of this technique in neuroanatomy training.

Visuo-spatial ability and wayfinding performance in real-world

In literature, there are not many studies which have investigated the relation between visuo-spatial ability and wayfinding in real world. In general, these works could be classified into two types: self-assessment studies, in which researchers ask people about their wayfinding ability, their type of navigation strategies or their daily spatial behaviour, in particular their awareness of orientation and their memory for usual spatial behaviour (e.g. Kato and Takeuchi 2003, Prestopnik and Roskos-Ewoldsen 2000); and behavioural studies, in which researchers ask a person to solve visuo-spatial tasks and perform wayfinding tasks. Our work uses this type of investigation method. The few studies presented in literature have shown mixed results. For example, Rovine and Weisman (1989) examined the relation between visuo-spatial ability, measured by spatial relation test and embedded figure test and wayfinding. They did not find any correlation between spatial relation test and wayfinding performance while embedded figure test scores were significantly correlated to wayfinding measures. To date, Blajenkova et al. (2005) have showed that individual differences in visuo-spatial ability, measured by a mental rotation test, resulted in differences in wayfinding performance. In general, there is little agreement in literature on the role plays from visuo-spatial ability to improve wayfinding performance. From our point of view, these results are biased by considering the visuo-spatial ability as a unique instead of a multi-component ability (Giusberti and Nori 1999). In particular, experiments that investigated spatial ability are concentrated on the study of a specific spatial aspect, that is the ability to use simultaneous spatial information. On the contrary, spatial memory is not an unitary but a multi-component system and it includes a wide range of abilities: visual, sequential and simultaneous. The importance of looking at specific subcomponents of spatial memory is supported by the visuo-spatial working memory, which is the cognitive system involved during the resolution of visuo-spatial tasks, proposed by Logie (1995). Fenner et al. (2000) have overcome this problem using six different tasks that are able to measure the different aspects of visuo-spatial ability. In their research, the authors examined the effect of visuo-spatial ability on wayfinding performance in young (5–6 years) and old (9–10 year) children. Results revealed that young children with high visuo-spatial ability (HV-SA) exhibited superior wayfinding compared to low visuospatial ability (LV-SA) children. This effect was not present in old children. In spite of these results, the aim of our work was to examine which may be the influence of visuo-spatial ability, considered as a multi-component ability, on wayfinding performance. Particularly, we predict that: HV-SA participants perform the wayfinding better and faster than LV-SA participants who should hesitate more than high visuo-spatial ability participants, during R. Nori (&) AE S. Grandicelli AE F. Giusberti Dipartimento di Psicologia, Universita di Bologna, Bologna, Italy e-mail: raffaella.nori@unibo.it Cogn Process (2006) 7 (Suppl. 1):S135–S137 DOI 10.1007/s10339-006-0104-4

Optimizing conditions for computer-assisted anatomical learning

An experiment evaluated the impact of two typical features of virtual learning environments on anatomical learning for users of differing visuo-spatial ability. The two features studied are computer-implemented stereopsis (the spatial information that is based on differences in visual patterns projected in both eyes) and interactivity (the possibility to actively and continuously change one's view of computer-mediated objects). Participants of differing visuo-spatial ability learned about human abdominal organs via anatomical three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions using either a stereoptic study phase (involving stereopsis and interactivity) or using a biocular study phase that involved neither stereopsis nor interactivity. Subsequent tests assessed the acquired knowledge in tasks involving (a) identification of anatomical structures in anatomical 2D cross-sections (i.e. typical Computed Tomography pictures) in an identification task, and (b) localization of these cross-sections in a frontal view of the anatomy in a localization task. The results show that the stereoptic group performed significantly better on both tasks and that participants of low visuo-spatial ability benefited more from the stereoptic study phase than those of high visuo-spatial ability.

4821584 Piezoelectric film load cell robot collision detector: John R Lembke assigned to The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy

An experiment evaluated the impact of two typical features of virtual learning environments on anatomical learning for users of differing visuo-spatial ability. The two features studied are computer-implemented stereopsis (the spatial information that is based on differences in visual patterns projected in both eyes) and interactivity (the possibility to actively and continuously change one's view of computer-mediated objects). Participants of differing visuo-spatial ability learned about human abdominal organs via anatomical three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions using either a stereoptic study phase (involving stereopsis and interactivity) or using a biocular study phase that involved neither stereopsis nor interactivity. Subsequent tests assessed the acquired knowledge in tasks involving (a) identification of anatomical structures in anatomical 2D cross-sections (i.e. typical Computed Tomography pictures) in an identification task, and (b) localization of these cross-sections in a frontal view of the anatomy in a localization task. The results show that the stereoptic group performed significantly better on both tasks and that participants of low visuo-spatial ability benefited more from the stereoptic study phase than those of high visuo-spatial ability.

4827418 Expert system for air traffic control and controller training: Arthur Gerstenfeld assigned to UFA Incorporation

An experiment evaluated the impact of two typical features of virtual learning environments on anatomical learning for users of differing visuo-spatial ability. The two features studied are computer-implemented stereopsis (the spatial information that is based on differences in visual patterns projected in both eyes) and interactivity (the possibility to actively and continuously change one's view of computer-mediated objects). Participants of differing visuo-spatial ability learned about human abdominal organs via anatomical three-dimensional (3D) reconstructions using either a stereoptic study phase (involving stereopsis and interactivity) or using a biocular study phase that involved neither stereopsis nor interactivity. Subsequent tests assessed the acquired knowledge in tasks involving (a) identification of anatomical structures in anatomical 2D cross-sections (i.e. typical Computed Tomography pictures) in an identification task, and (b) localization of these cross-sections in a frontal view of the anatomy in a localization task. The results show that the stereoptic group performed significantly better on both tasks and that participants of low visuo-spatial ability benefited more from the stereoptic study phase than those of high visuo-spatial ability.

Importance of specialized cognitive function in the selection of military pilots.

Abstract : Visuospatial skills significantly distinguished student Naval aviators who dropped out of aviation training from those who received their wings. While both groups were better than average on these tests, the winged aviators were better than the dropout group by 0.25 standard deviation which is highly significant (P0.0001) for the total sample of 600 subjects. Performance on verbal-sequential skills did not distinguish between the groups. Logistic regression not only confirmed the group difference but demonstrated an interaction with verbal-sequential skills. High performance on these skills helped the odds of being winged for aviators with low visuospatial ability but hindered those with high visuospatial ability. Distribution of visusopatial scores for the 2 groups demonstrated reasonable cut-off points at which considerably more drop-outs than winged aviators could have been eliminated. However, these data are relevant only for the selected sample of aviators accepted for the training programs. An additional study on the entire group of applicants including those rejected would allow comparison between the special cognitive tests used in this study and those already used as selection criteria. Keywords: Cognitive Asymmetry; Cognitive Performance; Cognitive Processes, Cognitive Style; Hemispheric Specialization; Laterality; Pilot Selection.

The intelligence of the Mongoloids: A psychometric, evolutionary and neurological theory

This paper presents a theory of the intelligence of the Mongoloids consisting of three linked sub-theories. The first concerns the psychometric features of Mongoloid intelligence and proposes that Mongoloids are characterised by high general intelligence (Spearman's g), high visuospatial abilities and low verbal abilities. Mongoloid abilities also display slow maturation in infancy and early childhood. It is proposed that this pattern of abilities cannot be explained in environmental terms and should be regarded as substantially genetically programmed. The second sub-theory presents an evolutionary explanation for this pattern of abilities in Mongoloids, whereby it is proposed that the extreme cold of the ice ages acted as a selection pressure for increases in Spearman's g and the visuospatial abilities. The low verbal abilities and slow maturation rates are interpreted as by-products of these adaptations. The third sub-theory presents a neurological model for the Mongoloid brain in which it is proposed that cortex devoted to the visuospatial abilities was expanded at the expense of the cortex devoted to the verbal abilities. The implication that there exists a negative correlation between the visuospatial abilities and the verbal abilities is considered in the concluding part of the paper and shown to be correct.