The relation between spatial and mathematical abilities: Potential factors underlying suppression

Two experiments examined possible factors underlying the finding that grades in mathematics act as a suppressor variable in the relation between spatial abilities and gender. Specifically, the role of reading abilities was investigated in Experiment 1 by using English grades as a measure of these abilities. Experiment 2 was based on the notion that time pressures are involved at some level in both spatial performance and mathematics grades. The influence of this factor was examined by administering a spatial task with or without time limit and examining the suppression effect in both conditions. In both experiments, participants completed the Mental Rotations Test (MRT) as a measure of spatial ability. In Experiment 1, all participants were tested with limited time to complete the MRT and they were required to report their high school course grades in mathematics and English. Results revealed that both grades in high school mathematics and English produced significant suppression. However, the amount of s...

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