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The Influence of Mental Imagery Expertise of Pen and Paper Players versus Computer Gamers upon Performance and Electrocortical Correlates in a Difficult Mental Rotation Task
- Source :
- Symmetry, Vol 13, Iss 2337, p 2337 (2021), Symmetry; Volume 13; Issue 12; Pages: 2337
- Publication Year :
- 2021
- Publisher :
- MDPI AG, 2021.
-
Abstract
- We investigated the influence of mental imagery expertise in 15 pen and paper role-players as an expert group compared to the gender-matched control group of computer role-players in the difficult Vandenberg and Kuse mental rotation task. In this task, the participants have to decide which two of four rotated figures match the target figure. The dependent measures were performance speed and accuracy. In our exploratory investigation, we further examined midline frontal theta band activation, parietal alpha band activation, and parietal alpha band asymmetry in EEG as indicator for the chosen rotation strategy. Additionally, we explored the gender influence on performance and EEG activation, although a very small female sample section was given. The expected gender difference concerning performance accuracy was negated by expertise in pen and paper role-playing women, while the gender-specific difference in performance speed was preserved. Moreover, gender differences concerning electro-cortical measures revealed differences in rotation strategy, with women using top-down strategies compared to men, who were using top-down strategies and active inhibition of associative cortical areas. These strategy uses were further moderated by expertise, with higher expertise leading to more pronounced activation patters, especially during successful performance. However, due to the very limited sample size, the findings of this explorative study have to be interpreted cautiously.
- Subjects :
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
General Mathematics
parietal alpha band frequency activation
mental rotation
expertise in visual imagery
pen and paper vs. computer role-players
midline frontal theta band frequency activation
gender influence
EEG
ddc:150
Chemistry (miscellaneous)
Computer Science (miscellaneous)
QA1-939
Mathematics
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20738994
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 2337
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Symmetry
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....e7230a6e33f5994403440ab3556f26dd