Development and Analysis of a Spatial Visualization Test for Middle School Boys and Girls

Abstract

The development of a paper-and-pencil spatial-visualization test for middle school students is repotted. The test consists of 32 multiple-choice items of 10 different types. The basic figures for the stimuli and the responses for the items vary from flat views, to numerical data, to corner views of “buildings” constructed from small cubes. The test was administered to a sample of 674 boys and 676 girls in Grades 5 through 8 from three sites representing a broad range of socioeconomic background. The reliability coefficients for various groups of students ranged from .72 to .86. The test-retest reliability coefficient for 73 students was .79. Site, grade, and sex differences, consistent with many other reports, were found. For additional 582 students in Grades 8 to 12 at two sites scores correlated .61 and .66 with scores of the Differential Aptitude Space Relations Test.