Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationThe use of spatial transformations is ubiquitous in everyday cognitive processing from reading maps to planning actions to reasoning. Use and proficiency in spatial transformations may vary based on both spatial ability and spatial expertise. Spatial ability is the ability to create, maintain, and transform visual imagery. Spatial expertise is knowledge, skills, or characteristics related to spatial thinking that can be used to differentiate outstanding individuals from less outstanding individuals. Three classes of spatial transformations-object-based (i.e., object rotation), perspective-based (i.e., body rotation), and effector-based (i.e., body-part rotation)-and their relationship to three spatial abilities-spatial orientation, spatial visualization, and kinesthetic imagery-were examined. Participants (controls and dancers) completed psychometric tests predicted to recruit the three spatial ability factors. They also performed timed computer-based spatial transformations of bodies and body-parts in two types of tasks (same/different and left/right). Overall, performance on the transformations as a function of task type and stimulus was predicted differentially by the three spatial ability factors. This suggests that three distinct processes are involved. Furthermore, dancer performance on the transformation tasks suggested more dynamic versus static processing of stimuli than controls