Trainability of Abilities: Training and Transfer of Spatial Visualization
Abstract
The feasibility of training selected abilities so as to facilitate transfer among tasks requiring these abilities and therefore reduce training time and increase personnel flexibility was investigated. Eighty undergraduate college students participated in a study of from one to five days duration. Experimental subjects received extensive practice with feedback provided on a set of tasks known to require the ability of spatial visualization. Control subjects received no practice. All subjects were tested on two transfer tasks which were dissimilar to the training tasks but which had earlier been demonstrated to require for successful task performance the abilities being trained. Results indicated that training did not significantly enhance spatial visualization as measured by a standard ability test administered before and after training. There was no evidence that performance on the transfer tasks was affected significantly as a result of training (i.e., there was no transfer of training). There was no differential retention between trained and untrained groups.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA083497
Entities
People
- David Schulman
- Edwin A. Fleishman
- Jerrold M. Levine
- Rae E. Brahlek