Open AccessR-Cube-SR Test
Author(s) -
Benedict C. O. F. Fehringer
Publication year - 2023
Publication title -
european journal of psychological assessment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.927
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 2151-2426
pISSN - 1015-5759
DOI - 10.1027/1015-5759/a000682
Subject(s) - cube (algebra) , visualization , spatial ability , mental rotation , spatial relation , rotation (mathematics) , test (biology) , mental image , data cube , computer science , psychology , artificial intelligence , mathematics , data mining , geometry , cognition , paleontology , neuroscience , biology
. Visualization and spatial relations (mental rotation) are two important factors of spatial thinking. Visualization refers to complex visual-spatial transformations, whereas spatial relations refer to simple mental rotation of visualized objects. Conventional spatial relations tests, however, have been found to be highly correlated with visualization tests because solving items through mental rotation might involve visualization ability due to the complexity of the visual materials of these tests. In two studies ( N = 51, N = 109), a new computer-based test for spatial relations, the R-Cube-SR Test, was developed and validated. The R-Cube-SR Test utilizes simple, single-colored cubes as rotated visual materials. Reliability estimates of the reaction times reach ω = .87. Correlations with standard tests of spatial relations (up to r = .55) were significantly higher than with visualization tests, such as the new R-Cube-Vis Test ( Fehringer, 2020 ), which uses the same visual materials. This was supported by CFAs. It is concluded that the new R-Cube-SR Test is a valid measure of spatial relations. Both tests together, the R-Cube-Vis and R-Cube-SR, as specific tests for their respective factor, now, are able to provide a differential diagnosis of a participant’s spatial thinking ability using the same visual materials.