Visualizing success: investigating the relationship between ability and self-efficacy in the domain of visual processing.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the spatial reasoning capacities and related selfefficacy beliefs of student teachers. In recent years self-efficacy has been a focal point for those investigating various modes of determinism. The relationship between an individual s perceptions of their ability to succeed within spatial reasoning tasks is examined in conjunction with their spatial reasoning ability. In this study three tests of spatial ability were administered to align with three unique spatial factors associated with mental rotation. These include Spatial Relations, Speeded Rotation and Spatial Orientation. Self-efficacy within the spatial domain is measured using an adapted Academic Self-Efficacy scale.