Time limits in testing: An analysis of eye movements and visual attention in spatial problem solving |
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| Authors: | Victoria A Roach Graham M Fraser James H Kryklywy Derek GV Mitchell Timothy D Wilson |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Foundational Medical Studies, William Beaumont School of Medicine, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan;2. Cardiovascular Research Group, Division of BioMedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada;3. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;4. Department of Psychiatry, Brain and Mind Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada;5. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Corps for Research of Instructional and Perceptual Technologies, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Individuals with an aptitude for interpreting spatial information (high mental rotation ability: HMRA) typically master anatomy with more ease, and more quickly, than those with low mental rotation ability (LMRA). This article explores how visual attention differs with time limits on spatial reasoning tests. Participants were assorted to two groups based on their mental rotation ability scores and their eye movements were collected during these tests. Analysis of salience during testing revealed similarities between MRA groups in untimed conditions but significant differences between the groups in the timed one. Question‐by‐question analyses demonstrate that HMRA individuals were more consistent across the two timing conditions (κ = 0.25), than the LMRA (κ = 0.013). It is clear that the groups respond to time limits differently and their apprehension of images during spatial problem solving differs significantly. Without time restrictions, salience analysis suggests LMRA individuals attended to similar aspects of the images as HMRA and their test scores rose concomitantly. Under timed conditions however, LMRA diverge from HMRA attention patterns, adopting inflexible approaches to visual search and attaining lower test scores. With this in mind, anatomical educators may wish to revisit some evaluations and teaching approaches in their own practice. Although examinations need to evaluate understanding of anatomical relationships, the addition of time limits may induce an unforeseen interaction of spatial reasoning and anatomical knowledge. Anat Sci Educ 10: 528–537. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. |
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| Keywords: | spatial ability mental rotations ability spatial reasoning eye tracking salience STEMM spatial working memory gross anatomy education |
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