Poster #10 - Mental Rotation, Vividness of Spatial Imagery, STEM Self-Efficacy, and Aphantasia

• In Event: 64.090 - MTCC Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: 64.090-1 - Poster Session on Diverse Topics in Mathematics Education

Abstract

This study compared the mental rotation test performance and STEM/arts self-efficacy between people with abd without aphantasia. Aphantasia has been defined as the inability to create mental imagery, or a “blind mind’s eye.” Despite reporting little to no vividness of spatial imagery and performing significantly slower, people with aphantasia showed no difference in performance on a mental rotation test than a control group. Findings also revealed less difference in mental rotation test performance between males and females with aphantasia. People with aphantasia rated themselves slightly higher in STEM self-efficacy and significantly lower in arts self-efficacy. These results lead to questions about mental imagery in spatial visualization and cognitive strategies used by people with aphantasia when learning mathematics.

Author

• Anita Crowder, Virginia Commonwealth University