The Effect of Neuropsychological Mental Rotation Exercises on Visuospatial Function in Students

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Visuospatial skills are among cognitive functions, which play important role in everyday life. One of the aims of this research in the field of spatial skills, is to investigate the ability to increase these skills. The purposes of the current research was to determine the effect of neuropsychological mental rotation exercises on the visuospatial function in the university students. Methods: The method of this experimental study was pretest-posttest design. The statistical population was all students (age, 20-24 years) of Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University in academic year 2015-2016. Statistical sample included 30 male students, who were selected using random sampling and divided into two groups of experimental and control (each N=15). To collect data, the computerized version of Shepard and Metzler’s mental rotation tasks and mitsushinachr('39')s Judgment of Line Orientation Task were used. Results: In this study, neuropsychological mental rotation exercises had significant effect on both mental rotation ability (p<0001) and visuospatial function in the experimental group (p<002). Conclusion: The results of this study was indicative of significant effect of neuropsychological mental rotation exercises on mental rotation ability and visuospatial function in the university students, which can be used to design future educational curricula, aiming at improved academic function.

Keywords

• orientation
• education
• neuropsychology
• cognition