The Effects of Mirror Tracing on Spatial Perception

Elizabeth LeBarre, 02emleba@alma.edu ; Valerie Harris, 01vsharr@alma.edu Alma College

Mirror tracing is a test used to evaluate various functions in psychology, including everything from personality to brain processing (Tutoo,1971). Most recently the test has been used to enforce the notion of hemispheric superiority, that is the concept that one hemisphere is better adapted than another for spatial processing tasks. Studies indicate the right hemisphere plays a dominant role in processing line orientation and mental rotation of tactile figures (Zoccolotti, 1979; Yamamoto and Hatta, 1980). In a case study involving one healthy female, researchers set out to find the effects of skill acquisition using mirror tracing to examine transfer effects of ipsilateral and contralateral learning curves. Here learning did take place and retention was significant, unlike previous studies (Lazlo, 1970; Parker-Taillon and Kerr, 1989). Long term retention of these skills, as seen in MarksÕs study, would indicate learning has taken place. Helode compared the abilities of technical to non-technical students, hypothesizing and that the technical students would have superior abilities due to their educated exposure to visual spatial tasks. The technical students did indeed show faster, more accurate results in mirror tracing. This study followed only 15 year old boys, eliminating the variable of gender as a factor in the improved scores (Helode, 1984). The influences of gender, spatial perception, and the possibilities of learning taking place as indicated in the above studies prompted the experimenters to question whether exposure to/ practice of the mirror tracing test would increase general spatial perception abilities for subjects as measured by other tests.

Methods:

Subjects: Fifteen high school/college students served as subjects. The experimental group consisted of seven females (three left-handed, three right handed, and one ambidextrous) along with three males (two right handed, and one left-handed). The control group contained two right-handed, and one left-handed females and one left-handed, and one right-handed males. All subjects ranged between the ages of 18 and 22 years old.

Materials and Apparatus: Eye Lines software (Beagley,1990) mirror tracing function was used, recording number of errors (departing from the path) and time required to trace a five point star figure. Spatial perception was determined using a combination of thirteen randomly chosen brain teasers (from tests 11,12 and 16 of The Brain Game ; tests 11 and 16 created by David Turner and test 12 by Alfred Lewerenz ). Calculators were permitted upon request.

Procedure:The subjects were first given a spatial ability test, test A, comprised of a combination of the three tests listed above. Two equally difficult versions (tests A and B) were created to minimize the nuisance variable of exposure. The control group confrimed equality between versions. Test A was administered in a quiet room proir to the initiating the mirror trials. Each subject performed the task of mirror tracing one time, completing five tracings. The tracing was done with the subjects typical computer mouse hand. Following the five trials the second test, test B, was administered. Results were charted and graphed.

Results:Data indicated no significant difference between pre and post test scores of spatial preception. However, there was some indication of improvement in right handed individuals.

Figure 1. Pre-test and Post-test errors for the entire group.

Figure 2. Pre-test and Post-test errors for right handed subjects.

Discussion:Results indicated a slight improvement trend between the pre and post test scores. Most interesting was the decrease in errors for right handed subjects, which supports the notion of hemisphere superority. Although not statistically significant, further experiments over a longer duration may produce more promising results, as indicated by Marks's study(1996).

References:

Aero, Rita &Weiner, Elliot. (1983) The Brain Game. New York, Quill. P. 83-91;116-122.

Beagley, W.K. (1990). [Computer Program]. Alma, MI: Alma College

Helode, R. D. (1983). Mirror-tracing and type of education. Scientia Paedagogica Experimentalis, 20 (2), 189-199.

Marks, Ray. (1996). Ipsilateral and contralateral skill acquisition following random practice of unilateral mirror-drawing. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 83 (3 pt 1), 715-722.

OÕBoyle, Michael W.; Hoff, Edward J.; & Gill, Harwant S. (1995). The influence of mirror reversals on male and female performance spatial tasks: A componential look. Personality & Individual Differences, 18 (6), 693-699.

Roig, Maguel & Placakis, Nicholas (1992). Hemisphericity style, sex, and performance on a mirror-tracing task. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 74, 1143-1147.

Zoccolotti, P., Passafiume, D., & Pizzamiglio, L. Hemispheric asymmetries in a tactile thought task for normal subjects. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 50, 467-471.