This study investigated how 3-D and 2-D computer game practice and delivery as well as individual differences affect performance
on two tests of mental rotation (Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test and Card Rotation Test). Sixty-one US undergraduates from
the Midwest completed 4 h of either massed or distributed practice. While computer game practice improved mental rotation
scores in general, women’s gains were significantly greater than men’s, and the most significant gains were accomplished when
practice was massed. High mathematical ability, gender, and type of practice significantly predicted improvement scores. The
findings suggest that even very minimal computer game practice may improve performance on mental rotation tasks.
Keywords Spatial experience - Gender - Mental rotation - Computer games - Visuospatial practice
This study was supported in part, by a Psi Chi summer fellowship to Tara Dickey. Preliminary results were presented at the
2004 Posters on the Hill conference sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research and the Great Plains Psychology Conference
in Kansas City in 2004 and in Omaha in 2005. I would like to thank Tara Dickey, Judith Flichtbeil, Claire Seiwert, Holly Bourek,
Nicholas Basalay, and Ann Kelly for their assistance with data collection.