Spatial Relations Task

Background

The Spatial Relations Task is a cognitive assessment test of visuo-spatial reasoning. Specifically it evaluates how well a person can hold and manipulate visual information in their working memory. It was developed by Timothy A. Salthouse in 2006 as a cognitive measure of the decline of complex spatial reasoning and processing speed with age. The Spatial Relations Task is similar to mental paper folding tasks (e.g. The Mental Folding Test for Children) that focus on a person’s ability to mentally transform objects (e.g. a piece of paper) with varying complexity and to predict/recognize the outcome of such a transformation. Instead of a mentally transforming a folded piece of paper (e.g. with punch holes), the Spatial Relations Task offers flat, unfolded 2D diagrams that need to be mentally transformed into 3D objects.

Task Procedure

After learning about mentally constructing 3D objects out of 2D diagrams with 2 examples, participants work on 20 problems, presented one-by-one in a fixed order. Each problem presents the target 2D shape and four possible 3D answers. Participants are asked to select the 3D shape that corresponds to the 2D target. Once selected, responses cannot be changed. Participants have 10 minutes to answer as many of the problems as they can. A visible timer is presented throughout the testing session.

What it Measures

The Spatial Relations Task is a cognitive assessment tool of visuo-spatial reasoning abilities

Psychological domains

• General Intelligence: Ability to learn from experience, adapt to new environments, and apply knowledge to solve problems
• Fluid Intelligence: Ability to reason abstractly and solve novel problems independent of acquired knowledge
• Spatial Reasoning: Ability to mentally visualize, organize, and transform objects
• Visuospatial Working Memory: Temporary storage and active manipulation of visual and spatial information

Main Performance Metrics

• Accuracy: Number of correct responses (max. 20) as the main measure of visuo-spatial reasoning abilities

Psychiatric Conditions

The following patient groups show impaired performance on the Spatial Relations Task:

• Alzheimer’s Disease (AD)
• Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
• Parkinson’s Disease (PD)

References

Search Google Scholar for peer-reviewed, published research using the Inquisit Spatial Relations Task.

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Salthouse, T. A. (January 01, 1993). Speed and knowledge as determinants of adult age differences in verbal tasks. Journal of Gerontology, 48, 1, 29-36.

Salthouse, T. A. (March 01, 2006). Mental Exercise and Mental Aging. Evaluating the Validity of the "Use It or Lose It" Hypothesis. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1, 1, 68-87.

Salthouse, T. A., Atkinson, T. M., & Berish, D. E. (January 01, 2003). Executive functioning as a potential mediator of age-related cognitive decline in normal adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 132, 4, 566-94.

Salthouse, T. A. (August 01, 2004). What and When of Cognitive Aging. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 13, 4, 140-144.

Salthouse, T. A. (January 01, 2005). Relations between cognitive abilities and measures of executive functioning. Neuropsychology, 19, 4, 532-45.