Do Gender, Discipline, and Mental Rotation Influence Orientation on “You-Are-Here” Maps

Abstract

A common challenge people encounter in unfamiliar cities is finding their way using static maps. In the present study, we analyzed the relationship of a person’s mental rotation ability, college educational specialization (e.g., Architecture, Fine Arts, Psychology, and Business Studies), and sex with personal orientation when using “you-are-here” maps. We recruited a sample of 547 individuals, undergraduates who were tasked with orientation maps placed in different positions (e.g., 0º, 90º, and 180º). All three variables were related to the number of correct responses in orientation using these “you-are-here” maps. Participants with high mental rotation ability obtained significant higher correct orientations than those with low ability. Men obtained more correct orientations responses than women, and Architecture, Fine Arts, and Psychology undergraduates had more correct responses than Business Studies undergraduates.

Mental imagery rotation and graph comprehension of IS‐LM macroeconomic models

“…Individuals high in the ability to rotate mental imagery obtained more correct graph-comprehension responses than individuals low in the ability to rotate mental imagery. These results coincided with those obtained in studies analyzing the influence of imagery rotation in complex figures and mathematical problem-solving (Campos & Campos-Juanatey, 2019a;Reingewertz, 2013;Sanchez & Wiley, 2014;Van Garderen, 2006), the interpretation of maps (Campos & Campos-Juanatey, 2019a;Campos-Juanatey & Campos, 2019), and the ability to orient oneself on you-are-here maps. Moreover, the results of this study agreed with other studies analyzing the comprehension of both macroeconomic (Reingewertz, 2013) and microeconomic graphs (Marangos & Alley, 2007).…”

“…Visual artists, such as painters and sculptors, mainly use object imagery, whereas scientists, physicist, engineers, and architects primarily use spatial imagery (Campos & Fuentes, 2016;Kozhevnikov et al, 2005;Kozhevnikov et al, 2010;Motes et al, 2008;Pérez-Fabello et al, 2016;Pérez-Fabello et al, 2018). Image rotation is linked to spatial tasks involving movement, the interpretation of complex graphs, and mathematical problem-solving (Campos & Campos-Juanatey, 2019a;Reingewertz, 2013;Sanchez & Wiley, 2014;Van Garderen, 2006;Zhao & Della Sala, 2018). Campos and Campos-Juanatey (2019a) found that individuals with a high ability to rotate mental imagery obtained more correct responses in understanding you-are-here maps than individuals with low ability to rotate mental imagery.…”

“…Image rotation is linked to spatial tasks involving movement, the interpretation of complex graphs, and mathematical problem-solving (Campos & Campos-Juanatey, 2019a;Reingewertz, 2013;Sanchez & Wiley, 2014;Van Garderen, 2006;Zhao & Della Sala, 2018). Campos and Campos-Juanatey (2019a) found that individuals with a high ability to rotate mental imagery obtained more correct responses in understanding you-are-here maps than individuals with low ability to rotate mental imagery. Campos and Campos-Juanatey (2019b) found significant correlation between the ability to rotate mental imagery and the ability to orient oneself on you-are-here maps.…”