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Spatial anxiety relates to spatial abilities as a function of working memory in children
Gerardo Ramirez1, Elizabeth A Gunderson, Susan C Levine
1Department of Psychology and Committee on Education, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|January 14, 2012
Summary
Young children can experience spatial anxiety, which impacts their performance on spatial tasks. This effect is linked to working memory (WM) and is more pronounced in girls, suggesting differences in problem-solving strategies.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Spatial ability is crucial for STEM fields.
- Affective factors influencing spatial ability in young children are understudied.
- Spatial anxiety may emerge early in development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of spatial anxiety in young children's mental rotation performance.
- To explore the interaction between spatial anxiety and working memory (WM).
- To examine gender differences in this interaction.
Main Methods:
- A mental rotation task was administered to young children.
- Children's self-reported spatial anxiety was measured.
- Working memory capacity was assessed.
- Data were analyzed for interactions between spatial anxiety, WM, and gender.
Main Results:
- Young children report experiencing spatial anxiety.
- Spatial anxiety negatively impacts mental rotation ability in children with high WM.
- This interaction between spatial anxiety and WM was significant only for girls.
Conclusions:
- Spatial anxiety is an early-emerging affective factor affecting spatial skills.
- The impact of spatial anxiety on spatial performance is moderated by working memory capacity, particularly in girls.
- Findings suggest potential gender differences in spatial problem-solving strategies and anxiety responses.
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