Separating "Rotators" From "Nonrotators" in the Mental Rotations Test: A Multigroup Latent Class Analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Mental rotation tasks are commonly used to assess spatial abilities.
• Previous research suggests varied strategies may be employed in solving these tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct solution strategies for items on the Mental Rotations Test (MRT).
• To investigate the number and nature of these strategies using multigroup latent class analysis.
• To examine sex differences in strategy use and performance on the MRT.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a multigroup latent class analysis on 24 items from the Mental Rotations Test.
• Analyzed data from a sample of 1,695 German pupils and students.
• Investigated differences in strategy assignment based on sex.

Main Results:

• Identified five distinct latent classes representing different solution strategies.
• Three classes primarily differed in performance levels.
• One class demonstrated a unique analytic strategy, effective for specific item types, distinct from mental rotation.
• Significant sex differences were found, with females more represented in the analytic strategy class.

Conclusions:

• Not all Mental Rotations Test items necessitate a mental rotation strategy; an analytic approach is also viable for certain items.
• The findings highlight the heterogeneity of cognitive processes underlying performance on the MRT.
• Sex differences in strategy preference and performance warrant further investigation and may inform test item development.