Spatial Ability Subfactors and Their Influences on a Computer-Based Information Search Task

Pak, Richard; Rogers, Wendy A.; Fisk, Arthur D.

doi:10.1518/001872006776412180

Cited by 43 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…For spatial ability a composite measure was computed, which was the mean of each individual's normalized score on the paper-folding test and cube comparison test. The decision to use a composite measure of spatial ability (composed of measures of spatial orientation and visualization) was motivated by the results of a previous study (Pak, 2001), which found that for older adults the individual sub-factors of spatial ability did not differentially contribute to performance in a computer task (the sub-factors differentially predicted performance in young adults). Table 2 presents correlations between age, the ability measures, and the total task performance score.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of spatial abilities and age in performance in an auditory computer navigation task

Pak

Czaja

Rogers

et al. 2008

Computers in Human Behavior

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Age-related differences in spatial ability have been suggested as a mediator of age-related differences in computer-based task performance. However, the vast majority of tasks studied have primarily used a visual display (e.g., graphical user interfaces). In the current study, the relationship between spatial ability and performance in a non-visual computer-based navigation task was examined in a sample of 196 participants ranging in age from 18 to 91. Participants called into a simulated interactive voice response system and carried out a variety of transactions. They also completed measures of attention, working memory, and spatial abilities. The results showed that age-related differences in spatial ability predicted a significant amount of variance in performance in the non-visual computer task, even after controlling for other abilities. Understanding the abilities that influence performance with technology may provide insight into the source of age-related performance differences in the successful use of technology. Keywordsinteractive voice response systems; aging; cognitive abilities; interface In light of evidence that cognitive abilities play an important role in the performance of everyday activities (e.g., Diehl, Willis, & Schaie, 1995), researchers have attempted to identify and measure the influence of cognitive abilities on a wide variety of activities (e.g., Czaja et al., 2006;Kelley & Charness, 1995;Sharit, Czaja, Nair, & Lee, 2003). One such ability, spatial ability, has been shown to be predictive of performance on a wide variety of everyday tasks such as way finding, map reading and computer tasks such as text-editing, spreadsheet usage, map-and computer-based information search tasks, even when other more general ability factors are controlled (for a review, see Pak, Rogers, & Fisk, 2006). Spatial ability is generally defined as the ability to perceive and transform visual patterns (Ekstrom, French, Harman, & Dermen, 1976). In studies examining spatial ability and computer-based information search, measures of spatial ability (e.g., paper folding, cube comparison) show significant relationships © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Corresponding author: Richard Pak, richpak@clemson.edu, tel: (864) 656-1584, fax: (864) 656-0358. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript with measures such as task completion time and error rates. However, a question that arises is whether the relationship between spatial ability and computer-based task performan...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of spatial abilities and age in performance in an auditory computer navigation task

Pak

Czaja

Rogers

et al. 2008

Computers in Human Behavior

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Campagnoni and Erlich [13] conducted a small-scale user study (N=9) in which they found that spatial abilities related to memory and visualization were highly correlated with navigating and editing screen-text. Pak, Rogers, and Fisk [41], on the other hand, found mixed results for different types of relationships between visualization abilities and search performance under the task and display conditions in their study. They investigated the influence of visualization and other abilities on performance under conditions in which the presentation of display results was manipulated (one display was a graphical map representation of the path required to get to the correct document and the other was a bulleted list of instructions of the same information).…”

Section: Visualization Abilitymentioning

confidence: 90%

The effect of cognitive abilities on information search for tasks of varying levels of complexity

Brennan

Kelly

Arguello

2014

Proceedings of the 5th Information Interaction in Context Symposium

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Although web search engines are designed as one-size-fits-all tools, people do not come in one size, but instead vary across many different attributes. One such attribute is cognitive ability. Because information search is primarily a cognitive activity, understanding the extent to which variations in cognitive abilities impact search behaviors and outcomes is especially important. We describe a study in which we explore how people's cognitive abilities affect their search behaviors and perceptions of workload while conducting search tasks with different levels of complexity. Twenty-one adults from the general public completed this study. We assessed participants' associative memory, perceptual speed, and visualization abilities and also measured workload. To evaluate the relationship between cognitive ability, task complexity and workload, we conducted three separate mixed factor ANOVAs corresponding to each of the abilities. Our results suggest three important trends: (1) associative memory ability had no significant effect on search behavior and workload, (2) visualization ability had a significant effect on search behavior, but not workload, and (3) perceptual speed had a significant effect on search behavior and workload. Specifically, participants with high perceptual speed ability engaged in more search activity in less time and experienced less workload. While the interactions were not significant, the differences were more pronounced for more complex tasks. We also found a significant relationship between task complexity and workload, and task complexity and search behaviors, which corroborates previous research.

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“…According to Guven and Kosa (2008), spatial ability concerns ones ability to perceive, store, recall and create mental picture of shape and space. Spatial abilities are often categorized into spatial visualization and spatial orientation (Cakmak, Isiksal & Koc, 2014;Pak, Rogers & Fisk, 2006). Spatial visualization is described as the perceptual ability to manipulate a visual image in two-and three-dimensional spaces while spatial orientation refers to the cognitive ability to perceive how one object is positioned relative to other objects in space.…”

Section: Spatial Abilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The two spatial abilities entail human thought processes responsible for stimulating understanding and logical reasoning when resolving geometric problems (Taylor & Tenbrink, 2013;Pak, Rogers & Fisk, 2006). Many concepts in geometry require students to visually perceive the objects and identify their properties, imagine their internal displacement and orientation.…”

Section: Spatial Abilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the Effect of Origami Instruction on Preservice Teachers’ Spatial Ability and Geometric Knowledge for Teaching

Akayuure¹,

Arthur²,

Alebna³

2016

IJEMST

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Spatial Ability Subfactors and Their Influences on a Computer-Based Information Search Task

Abstract: Given the unique differences between the different spatial abilities, the current results suggest the design of navigational aids that place less demand on spatial orientation ability.

Cited by 43 publications

References 18 publications

The role of spatial abilities and age in performance in an auditory computer navigation task

The role of spatial abilities and age in performance in an auditory computer navigation task

The effect of cognitive abilities on information search for tasks of varying levels of complexity

Investigating the Effect of Origami Instruction on Preservice Teachers’ Spatial Ability and Geometric Knowledge for Teaching

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