Using mental transformation strategies for spatial scaling : Evidence from a discrimination task

Möhring, Wenke; Newcombe, Nora S.; Frick, Andrea

Using mental transformation strategies for spatial scaling : Evidence from a discrimination task

Files

There are no files associated with this item.

Date

2016

Authors

Möhring, Wenke

Newcombe, Nora S.

Frick, Andrea

DOI (citable link)

10.1037/xlm0000240

Collections

Psychologie

Publication type

Journal article

Publication status

Published

Published in

Journal of Experimental Psychology : Learning, Memory, and Cognition ; 42 (2016), 9. - pp. 1473-1479. - ISSN 0278-7393. - eISSN 1939-1285

Abstract

Spatial scaling, or an understanding of how distances in different-sized spaces relate to each other, is fundamental for many spatial tasks and relevant for success in numerous professions. Previous research has suggested that adults use mental transformation strategies to mentally scale spatial input, as indicated by linear increases in response times and accuracies with larger scaling magnitudes. However, prior research has not accounted for possible difficulties in encoding spatial information within smaller spaces. Thus, the present study used a discrimination task in which we systematically pitted absolute size of the spaces against scaling magnitude. Adults (N = 48) were presented with 2 pictures, side-by-side on a computer display, each of which contained a target. Adults were asked to decide whether the targets were in the same position or not, by pressing the respective computer key. In the constant-large condition, the constant space was kept large, whereas the size of the other space was variable and smaller. In the constant-small condition, the constant space was small, whereas the size of the other space was variable and larger. Irrespective of condition, adults' discrimination performance (d-primes) and response times were linear functions of scaling magnitude, supporting the notion that analog imagery strategies are used in spatial scaling.

Subject (DDC)

150 Psychology

Keywords

discrimination, spatial scaling, mental transformations, spatial cognition

Cite This

ISO 690

MÖHRING, Wenke, Nora S. NEWCOMBE, Andrea FRICK, 2016. Using mental transformation strategies for spatial scaling : Evidence from a discrimination task. In: Journal of Experimental Psychology : Learning, Memory, and Cognition. 42(9), pp. 1473-1479. ISSN 0278-7393. eISSN 1939-1285. Available under: doi: 10.1037/xlm0000240

BibTex

@article{Mohring2016-09Using-41464,
  year={2016},
  doi={10.1037/xlm0000240},
  title={Using mental transformation strategies for spatial scaling : Evidence from a discrimination task},
  number={9},
  volume={42},
  issn={0278-7393},
  journal={Journal of Experimental Psychology : Learning, Memory, and Cognition},
  pages={1473--1479},
  author={Möhring, Wenke and Newcombe, Nora S. and Frick, Andrea}
}

RDF

<rdf:RDF
    xmlns:dcterms="http://purl.org/dc/terms/"
    xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
    xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#"
    xmlns:bibo="http://purl.org/ontology/bibo/"
    xmlns:dspace="http://digital-repositories.org/ontologies/dspace/0.1.0#"
    xmlns:foaf="http://xmlns.com/foaf/0.1/"
    xmlns:void="http://rdfs.org/ns/void#"
    xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#" > 
  <rdf:Description rdf:about="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/41464">
    <dc:language>eng</dc:language>
    <dc:date rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2018-02-20T07:43:58Z</dc:date>
    <dc:creator>Möhring, Wenke</dc:creator>
    <dc:contributor>Möhring, Wenke</dc:contributor>
    <dcterms:isPartOf rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/43"/>
    <dcterms:issued>2016-09</dcterms:issued>
    <dcterms:title>Using mental transformation strategies for spatial scaling : Evidence from a discrimination task</dcterms:title>
    <dcterms:available rdf:datatype="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime">2018-02-20T07:43:58Z</dcterms:available>
    <void:sparqlEndpoint rdf:resource="http://localhost/fuseki/dspace/sparql"/>
    <dcterms:abstract xml:lang="eng">Spatial scaling, or an understanding of how distances in different-sized spaces relate to each other, is fundamental for many spatial tasks and relevant for success in numerous professions. Previous research has suggested that adults use mental transformation strategies to mentally scale spatial input, as indicated by linear increases in response times and accuracies with larger scaling magnitudes. However, prior research has not accounted for possible difficulties in encoding spatial information within smaller spaces. Thus, the present study used a discrimination task in which we systematically pitted absolute size of the spaces against scaling magnitude. Adults (N = 48) were presented with 2 pictures, side-by-side on a computer display, each of which contained a target. Adults were asked to decide whether the targets were in the same position or not, by pressing the respective computer key. In the constant-large condition, the constant space was kept large, whereas the size of the other space was variable and smaller. In the constant-small condition, the constant space was small, whereas the size of the other space was variable and larger. Irrespective of condition, adults' discrimination performance (d-primes) and response times were linear functions of scaling magnitude, supporting the notion that analog imagery strategies are used in spatial scaling.</dcterms:abstract>
    <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="http://localhost:8080/"/>
    <dc:contributor>Newcombe, Nora S.</dc:contributor>
    <dc:creator>Newcombe, Nora S.</dc:creator>
    <dc:contributor>Frick, Andrea</dc:contributor>
    <dspace:isPartOfCollection rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/rdf/resource/123456789/43"/>
    <dc:creator>Frick, Andrea</dc:creator>
    <bibo:uri rdf:resource="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/handle/123456789/41464"/>
  </rdf:Description>
</rdf:RDF>

Bibliography of Konstanz

No