Individual differences in spatial text processing: High spatial ability can compensate for spatial working memory interference

a r t i c l e i n f o The present study investigates the relation between spatial ability and visuo-spatial and verbal working memory in spatial text processing. In two experiments, participants listened to a spatial text (Experiments 1 and 2) and a non-spatial text (Experiment 1), at the same time performing a spatial or a verbal concurrent task, or no secondary task. To understand how individuals who differ in spatial ability process spatial text during dual task performance, spatial individual differences were analyzed. The tasks administered were the Vandenberg and Kuse [Vandenberg, S. G., & Kuse, A. R. (1978). Mental rotation, a group test of three-dimensional spatial visualization. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 47, 599-604.] mental rotation test (MRT) and a reading comprehension task (RCT). Individuals with high (HMR) and low (LMR) mental rotation differed in MRT scores but had similar RCT performance. Results showed that the HMR group, in contrast with LMR counterparts, preserved good spatial text recall even when a spatial concurrent task was performed; however, Experiment 2 revealed a modification of spatial concurrent task performance in LMR as well in HMR group. Overall, results suggest that HMR individuals have more spatial resources than LMR individuals, allowing them to compensate for spatial working memory interference, but only to a limited extent, given that the processing of spatial information is still mediated by VSWM. The present research investigates how spatial ability modulates the processing of environmental information acquired through spatial description. This represents a very common real-life experience in which the environment is indirectly acquired. The spatial mental representation emerging from processing descriptions is a mental model (Johnson-Laird, 1983). Several studies have demonstrated that spatial mental models reflect the spatial properties of descriptions, maintaining relations between objects (e. One way to approach the question of the characteristics of spatial mental representation is to analyze individual differences. A number of studies have noted the importance of visuo-spatial abilities in spatial mental representation also derived from spatial description (see Section 1.1). More recently, the role of some cognitive aspects such as working memory (WM) in spatial descriptions processing was considered (see Section 1.2). The role of WM in spatial text processing is analyzed according to the Baddeley model (Baddeley, 1986; Baddeley & Hitch, 1974). This is a theoretical framework where visuo-spatial abilities can be engaged through a specific role. For this reason, the approach in the present research is …