Criterion related validity of mental rotation test

    LIU Lianª²Hong, HUANGFU En, MIAO Danª²Min, LIU Xuª²Feng, QI Jianª²Lin, WANG Wei, SHAO Yongª²Cong

    Department of Psychology, School of Aerospace Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To testify the relationship between spatial ability and mental rotation under the condition of controlling verbal ability and to explore the linear function relationship between reaction time (RT) and the rotation angle. METHODS: Seventyª²nine healthy male college students were tested by Cognitive Laterality Battery and the mental rotation test. RESULTS: The average RT of the high spatial ability group was (889¡À169) ms and that of the low spatial ability group was (1043¡À173) ms. There were significant differences between the two groups in RT (P=0.006). The average RT of the high verbal ability group was (957¡À190) ms and that of the low verbal ability group was (969¡À187) ms. There was no significant difference between the two groups. With the increasing of the rotation angle, RT prolonged. CONCLUSION: Mental rotation ability has obvious correlation with spatial ability. There is an obvious linear function relationship between the angles of mental rotation and RT. ......