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50 Years of ERIC
50 Years of ERIC
The Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) is celebrating its 50th Birthday! First opened on May 15th, 1964 ERIC continues the long tradition of ongoing innovation and enhancement.

Learn more about the history of ERIC here. PDF icon

Showing all 8 results
The Structure of Visuospatial Memory in Adulthood
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Mammarella, Irene C.; Borella, Erika; Pastore, Massimiliano; Pazzaglia, Francesca – Learning and Individual Differences, 2013
The present study aimed to investigate the structure of visuospatial memory in adulthood. Adults 40-89 years of age (n = 160) performed simple storage and complex visuospatial span tasks. Simple storage tasks were distinguished into three presentation formats: (i) visual, which involved maintaining shapes and textures; (ii) spatial-sequential,…
Descriptors: Spatial Ability, Memory, Adults, Older Adults
The Joint Role of Spatial Ability and Imagery Strategy in Sustaining the Learning of Spatial Descriptions under Spatial Interference
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Meneghetti, Chiara; De Beni, Rossana; Gyselinck, Valerie; Pazzaglia, Francesca – Learning and Individual Differences, 2013
The present study investigates the joint role of spatial ability, imagery strategy and visuospatial working memory (VSWM) in spatial text processing. A set of 180 participants, half of them trained on the use of imagery strategy (training vs no-training groups), was further divided according to participants' high or low mental rotation ability…
Descriptors: Spatial Ability, Word Processing, Verbal Tests, Short Term Memory
The Role of Visuo-Spatial Abilities in Recall of Spatial Descriptions: A Mediation Model
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Meneghetti, Chiara; De Beni, Rossana; Pazzaglia, Francesca; Gyselinck, Valerie – Learning and Individual Differences, 2011
This research investigates how visuo-spatial abilities (such as mental rotation--MR--and visuo-spatial working memory--VSWM--) work together to influence the recall of environmental descriptions. We tested a mediation model in which VSWM was assumed to mediate the relationship between MR and spatial text recall. First, 120 participants were…
Descriptors: Short Term Memory, Spatial Ability, Investigations, Correlation
Spatial Mental Representations Derived from Survey and Route Descriptions: When Individuals Prefer Extrinsic Frame of Reference
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Meneghetti, Chiara; Pazzaglia, Francesca; De Beni, Rossana – Learning and Individual Differences, 2011
The present research investigates the role of individual differences in preference for adopting extrinsic frame of reference (EFR) in ability to represent mentally spatial information learned through survey and route descriptions. A sample of 191 participants (100 females and 91 males) was categorized as four groups with high (H-EFR), medium-high…
Descriptors: Sentences, Females, Spatial Ability, Males
Beyond Genetics in Mental Rotation Test Performance: The Power of Effort Attribution
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Moe, Angelica; Pazzaglia, Francesca – Learning and Individual Differences, 2010
This study compares the effects on Mental Rotation Test (MRT) performance of instructions that stress the importance of (a) personal effort, and (b) genetically driven ability. A total of 120 high-school students were assigned to three groups, and administered two sub-tests of the MRT. Between the first and second sub-tests, the groups received…
Descriptors: Genetics, Cognitive Tests, High School Students, Comparative Analysis
Individual Differences in Spatial Text Processing: High Spatial Ability Can Compensate for Spatial Working Memory Interference
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Meneghetti, Chiara; Gyselinck, Valerie; Pazzaglia, Francesca; De Beni, Rossana – Learning and Individual Differences, 2009
The present study investigates the relation between spatial ability and visuo-spatial and verbal working memory in spatial text processing. In two experiments, participants listened to a spatial text (Experiments 1 and 2) and a non-spatial text (Experiment 1), at the same time performing a spatial or a verbal concurrent task, or no secondary task.…
Descriptors: Reading Comprehension, Group Testing, Visualization, Short Term Memory
The Role of Working Memory in Spatial Text Processing: What Benefit of Imagery Strategy and Visuospatial Abilities?
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Gyselinck, Valerie; Meneghetti, Chiara; De Beni, Rossana; Pazzaglia, Francesca – Learning and Individual Differences, 2009
This study investigated the construction of a spatial model in relation to working memory (WM) and visuospatial abilities. Participants were trained to use either imagery or verbal strategies to process route spatial texts. Results obtained on a free recall task, a verification test and a graphic representation task showed the beneficial effect of…
Descriptors: Children, Short Term Memory, Spatial Ability, Models
Following the Instructions! Effects of Gender Beliefs in Mental Rotation
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Moe, Angelica; Pazzaglia, Francesca – Learning and Individual Differences, 2006
Research has widely demonstrated male superiority in the Mental Rotation Test (MRT). Various explanations have been put forward to account for these differences. We considered gender beliefs and argued that women may fare less well than men partly because they are considered unable to perform this kind of task. Beliefs about spatial ability were…
Descriptors: Females, Males, Gender Differences, Spatial Ability