Gender differences on horizontality and verticality tasks were examined to determine whether they are mediated by gender differences in expectancies for success. Gender differences in performance were found, with males performing better than females. Gender differences in expectancies for success did not fully account for gender differences in…

Evaluated interscorer reliability of the Spatial Memory subtest, which appears on the Simultaneous Processing scale of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children. Responses from 19 gifted children were scored by two independent examiners. Results showed this subtest may be prone to scoring errors because no permanent record of responses exists.…

In three experiments, the effect of additional "contextual" elements on the discrimination of the orientation of linear and curvilinear segments was investigated with four-month-old infants. Results suggest that, regarding certain stimuli and techniques of measurement, surrounding contextual segments can aid the discrimination of linear…

Three longitudinal studies were conducted to examine the generalization of detour ability across motor responses and barrier types, and to investigate the relationship between the development of object permanence and detour ability. Results were discussed in terms of differences in reaching and locomotor detour performances. (Author/CI)

Erickson's 1951 study of gender differences in preadolescents' play construction was replicated and expanded to correct for sex bias of materials. Erickson's finding of innate biological differences in the experience and perception of space was not confirmed. Instead, differences were attributed to the materials provided. (KH)

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Configuration words containing clues and typical print can help learning disabled children from kindergarten up to learn spatial relationship terms. Suggestions are offered for choosing, introducing, and using the words as well as for encountering the words in new situations. (CL)

Two studies concerned with the effects of maps on academically gifted junior high school students indicated that prior presentation of a spatially organizing picture increased learning of prose material. (CL)

Twenty-eight profoundly deaf students, aged eight to 11, did not recall spatial order of viewed pictures better than temporal order, were not less competent in probed recognition than 66 age-equivalent hearing students, and made fewer recognitions in temporal-probe than in spatial-probe conditions. Other results were found. (Author/MC)

Three experiments were conducted to investigate two key assumptions of the conjoint retention (CR) hypothesis. The primary intent was to determine whether the structural information conveyed by maps or the mimeticism of map icons was critical in facilitating the recall of text. A secondary goal was to explore the involvement of the visuospatial…

This document, from "The Teacher's Desk Reference to Standards and Performance Indicators for Curriculum Planning and Unit Development," is part of the Delaware Department of Education's ongoing efforts to provide assistance and support to local school districts in their development of a standards-based curriculum. This document explains…

When reference cues are added to a pattern copying task, males' performance improves, but females' remains the same. This superior cue utilization may partially explain differences in spatial abilities. The present research attempts to determine the optimum locus for facilitation of copying by reference cues. (RH)

Plomin and Foch's conclusion that sex differences in cognition account for very little of the total variability in test scores is challenged by demonstrating that on a complex test of spatial visualization the difference between males and females accounts for a quite substantial portion of variability. (Author)

Twelve blind students (12 to 24 years old) explored haptically the spatial relations among objects on a table top and were then asked to walk all the paths connecting the objects in a large scale environment. The students deduced the overall arrangement of locations from any point in the large scale environment fairly accurately. (CL)

A total of 120 children between four to eight years of age were administered four sets of visual perspective-taking tasks. Results supported the hypothesis that children's task competence would be a fraction of the number and type of spatial relationships embedded in the stimulus displays. (Author/MP)