A Behavioral and fNIRS Comparative Study of Gender and Task Differences in Mental Rotation Among Primary Students

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Mental rotation (MR) is a key spatial ability.
• Previous studies on sex differences in MR have yielded mixed results.
• Behavioral assessments may not capture subtle neural variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate sex and task effects in mental rotation (MR) among primary school students.
• To compare behavioral performance with neural activation using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
• To explore discrepancies between behavioral and neuroimaging findings.

Main Methods:

• 62 Chinese primary school students (Grades 4-5) participated.
• Two MR tasks were administered: figure rotation (MR1) and letter rotation (MR2).
• fNIRS measured brain activation, alongside behavioral performance data.

Main Results:

• Behavioral data showed no significant sex or task effects on MR performance.
• fNIRS revealed significant sex differences in brain activation patterns.
• Boys showed higher activation in specific Brodmann Areas (BAs) 6, 9, and 46; girls showed more activation in BA 46 during MR1.

Conclusions:

• Neuroimaging data reveal neural disparities in MR not evident in behavioral measures.
• Traditional behavioral paradigms may be prone to Type II errors (false negatives).
• Integrating neuroimaging is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of cognitive processes and reevaluating behavioral data interpretations.