ABSTRACT
The mechanisms underlying the effects of practice on mental rotation are incompletely understood. Explanations that may apply include improved rotation processes and the learning of figure exemplars. Average millisecond per degree rotation speeds for each of the training blocks were calculated based on the assumption of a linear relationship of rotation latency and angular disparity. The fact that the new view/same axis transfer condition showed transfer of RS, yet showed no benefit in the 0° disparity trials suggests that our new view stimuli condition was significantly unique and transfer of rotation skill to these new views depended on general rotation learning independent of any exemplar view strengthening. As revealed by the data and a subsequently formulated ACT-R model, there is a complex variety of learning that is taking place in the first 200 trials of a mental rotation experiment.
