Linking spatial ability, spatial strategies, and spatial creativity: A step to clarify the fuzzy relationship between spatial ability and creativity

Abstract Is spatial ability critical to creativity in spatial design? Many researchers have investigated the potential relationship between spatial ability and design performance, but findings have been inconsistent and empirical studies on the two are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between creativity and spatial ability, using evaluations of a large-scale interior design project and scores on both a test of general spatial ability and a refined version of the Architecture and Interior Design domain-specific Spatial Ability Test (AISAT V.2). The following questions were explored: (a) How is domain-specific spatial ability related to detailed aspects of creativity in large-scale interior design, especially the creativity involved in three-dimensional volumetric exploration? and (b) What spatial strategies do individuals with differing levels of spatial abilities use in spatial design? Thirty-nine interior design students at a Midwestern university participated in the study. Their performances on the general spatial ability test and AISAT were compared with scores in design performance evaluated by experts. Results show that the spatial visualization and mental rotation associated with domain-specific spatial ability positively correlated with creativity in the generation of three-dimensional volumetric design. In terms of spatial strategies, design projects of individuals with high spatial ability tended to show strengths in form generation while those of medium and low spatial ability displayed strengths in additive approaches. This study expands understanding of the link between creativity and spatial ability by proposing a holistic framework for creative spatial design.

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