1. How To Improve Spatial Skill: Converging on Mechanism Alexandra Morrison Temple University

2. Acknowledgements Nora NewcombeTim Shipley Alexandra MorrisonShannon Fitzhugh Graduate Students Research Staff Danielle EaganMike DemersDominique DumayAdrienne Villagomez Jason Chein Spatial Intelligence Learning Center & Temple University Neurocognition Lab

3. 3 Questions Why Train Spatial Skills? How can we train spatial skills? What are the results of different training approaches? – In progress data

4. Why Spatial? How did you get to San Diego for Aera? Pack a Suitcase? Navigate a busy airport? Read a map?

5. Why Spatial? Scientific Thought and Communication STEM Disciplines – Science – Technology – Engineering – Math

6. Why Spatial? Predicts choice of STEM Major – Higher spatial ability is associated with choice of STEM major (Hedges and Chung) Controlling for IQ & SES Equal in gender – SATM also related to choice of STEM discipline (Shae, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2001)

7. How can we train spatial skills? Two Approaches – Strategy 1: Train Spatial Skills – Domain Specific Approach – Strategy 2: Train shared mental resources – Domain general Approach

8. Approach 1: Train Domain Specific Skills Can train spatial skills by 1.Familiarizing participants with spatial stimuli A.geometric shapes B.Shepard-Metzler Cubes 2.Practice spatial Transformations

9. Approach 1: Example of Domain Specific Spatial Training Wright, Thompson, Ganis, Newcombe, & Kosslyn, 2008 – Trained in either mental rotation or paper folding – Transferred to nontrained spatial but not verbal task – Results domain specific but not task specific

10. Approach 2:Domain General Training Repetitive mental exercise improves general cognitive abilities Small scientific literature supports this

11. Approach 2: Domain General Cognitive Training An emerging science of cognitive training … Demonstrates 1.Performance also relies on general cognitive abilities 2.General cognitive abilities are both malleable & trainable.

12. Approach 2: Working Memory Training WM Language Comp. Verbal Reasoning Spatial Reasoning Problem Solving Fluid Intelligence WM capacity is a domain- general resource WM capacity predicts performance in a broad range of tasks(e.g., Kane et al., 2004) Successfully trained Klingberg, 2002 & 2005 Vaerhaghen, 2004 Jaeggi, 2008

13. Working Memory vs. Short Term Memory Working Memory (WM) –Simultaneous storage and processing Short Term Memory (STM) –Storage only

14. What do we find when we compare types of training? Our goals 1.Look at the malleability of spatial skills 2.Contrast different Cognitive Training Paradigms Domain Specific Spatial Visualization Training Verbal Short Term Memory Training Domain General Verbal Working Memory Training 3.Determine Transfer Patterns

15. Training Methods Overview Pre-test of cognitive skill level Spatial Visualization Training Working Memory Training Post-test of cognitive skill level Short Term Memory Training

16. Cognitive Assessment Battery – MRT-A (Peters, 1995) – Solid Object Mental Rotation Test (Fitzhugh, Shipley, Newcombe & Dumay (in prep.) – Spatial/Verbal STM Storage only – Spatial/Verbal WM Storage + processing – Verbal Reasoning Non-sense syllogisms, Inference – Cognitive Control Stroop – Spatial Reasoning Paper Folding, Surface Development – Reading Comprehension Nelson Denny

17. Training Regimes 5 days a week – 30 min per day 4 weeks of training Trained at home while guided by lab staff

18. Training Type 1: Spatial Visualization Training Domain Specific Spatial Training Introduction to 3D Visualization (Sorby, 1996) –Focus on transforming 3D objects into 2D representations Isomorphic – 2D perspective rendering Orthographic – 2D flat projections Surface Development Rotation about one axis

19. Working Memory Training C C Glib X X Foot T T Prust P P Mile Domain general task Storage + Processing Adaptive Difficulty

20. Short Term Memory Training Domain Specific Verbal Storage only – 4s interval Adaptive difficulty C C **** X X T T P P

21. Results of In Progress Study (n=91) Examine the following Questions: Do different types of training yield different results? What is the impact of each training type on: 1.Spatial Skills 2.STM (storage only) 3.WM (storage and information processing)

22. Differential Effects of Training Does the type of Training Matter? * d =.33

23. Which training types improve spatial skills? d =.9d = 1.18d = 1.22

24. Which Training types increase memory storage? 24http://www.spatialintelligence.org

25. Which Training types improve storage and processing of information? 25

26. Summary – Spatial Visualization Training – SV training transfers to other spatial measures Mental Rotation Surface Development Spatial Working Memory – No transfer to verbal tasks – Domain specific but not task specific!

27. Summary Working Memory Training – WM training transfers to non-trained domains WM training  spatial visualization measures Also transferred to cognitive control measure

28. Summary Short Term Memory Training – Transfer to verbal tasks – Some Transfer to spatial tasks May approximate WM training at longer list lengths (Unsworth & Engle, 2007)

29. Future Directions Trivia Training Control Group Examine eye movement data – Looks like Spatial training and WM may improve by different mechanisms 3 month follow-up – Are improvements stable?

30. Thank You! Nora Newcombe Jason Chein Tim Shipley Shannon Fitzhugh Danielle Eagan Dominique Dumay Mike Demers Adrienne Villagomez **This research was supported by a National Science Foundation grant to support the Spatial Intelligence and Learning Center (No. SBE0541957)