Date of Award

Spring 5-2002

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Degree Name

Master of Science in Human Factors & Systems

Department

Human Factors and Systems

Committee Chair

Christina M. Frederick

Committee Member

Steve Hall

Committee Member

Gerald L. Gamache

Abstract

This thesis was designed to detect the type of spatial ability most effected by auditory stimulation, as described in the Mozart effect. Previous research has shown enhancement of performance on the paper-folding and cutting subtest of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale IV with failures to replicate in research using other measures. Seventy-five college students enrolled in introductory psychology classes were exposed to one of three types of auditory stimulation, followed by two measures of spatial ability. The Purdue Visualization of Developments test correlates with tests of spatial orientation and require analytical processing, while the Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotation Test is a test of spatial visualization, not confounded with analytical processing. Neither of the two tests displayed a significant treatment effect, lending to the possibility that the enhancement of performance seen previously on the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale IV subtest is the result of a factor of the test other than the spatial aspect.

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