# A Global Overview of SVA--Spatial-Visual Ability
## 5 Results
### Analysis by the Age Categories and Assessment Tools
#### 5.1.7 Mixed Age Groups (A7)

Table 9: _Cont._[PERSON] examined the link between preferences for online gaming, sex, and mental rotation ability; this study revealed gender disparities in the distribution of player categories, with notably more women in both the logic-and-skill gaming and non-player categories and increasingly large numbers of men in the action-and-simulation gaming category [69]. With a common author between these studies (the second being authored by [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON]), they studied the impact of gender and age on mental rotation and spatial perception from simulated realities and determined that senior citizens and women tend to have less familiarity with online games, which can impair their ability to use interfaces such as joysticks [70]. [PERSON], in her research based on incremental theory and performance of women, suggested that cognitive performance can be influenced by beliefs about one's talents [71]. Females improve in the Mental Rotation Test [32] when they are told they do better than males. They benefited from an intervention encouraging the expectation of success by promoting the idea of in-group capabilities in the provided task. On the contrary, men appeared to be more influenced by directions related to aspects of the task, with their scores improving when they believed the task to be easier, and they considered themselves to be more able than women [71]. A Switzerland-based study in 2021 created three new assessment tests to measure the spatial cognitive functions that are typically required in architectural studies: the Urban Layout Test (ULT), the Indoor Perspective Test (IPT), and Packing [12]. These assessments are domain-specific and responsive to spatial skills that are acquired through architectural education. The study also found that spatial abilities evolve during architectural education, with improvement demonstrated at the outset of the career path. The findings indicated that with more experience, both genders scored better on spatial tests with men consistently outscoring women, which indicated the requirement for more training. In order to gain an in-depth comprehension of architecture-specific spatial cognition, the study also emphasised the need to conduct additional research on domain-specific spatial abilities in architecture, especially among professionals [12]. [PERSON] explored the connections between different spatial abilities (relations, orientation and visualisation) and designers' performance in 3D carton box design [72], stressing the vital role of spatial abilities in the field of product design. A Mexican inquiry in 2019 provided empirical verification that a computerised graphics (CG) course like those often offered in STEM programmes can facilitate the growth of proficient visual-spatial skills [15]. [PERSON] and [PERSON] developed the Mental Rotations Test [32], which is extensively employed by researchers worldwide. This paper-and-pencil test to evaluate spatial-visualisation, created using [PERSON] and [PERSON]'s stimuli [67]; demonstrated significant reliability across tests, internal uniformity, and consistent gender disparities among several demographics [32]. [PERSON] presents two novel assessment tools in a 2003 German- based study: the Mental Cutting Test \"Schnitte\" developed by [PERSON] & [PERSON], as cited by [40], and the Picture Rotation Test [40]. Complex modifications of spatially displayed information constitute the basis of tests of abilities in spatial visualisation. To identify the resulting 2D cut surfaces, respondents mentally cut 3D void volumes with planes of other figures in the \"Schnitte\" Mental Cutting test, which was particularly designed to test individuals for extraordinary spatial abilities. By contrast, the Picture Rotation test is similar to the renowned adult Mental Rotations Test (MRT [32]), with similar stimulus constructs [67] but for pre-primary and primary school children [40]. A very recent study in 2023 employed a \"Tactile Mental Cutting Test\" (TMCT), discussed in depth by [PERSON] et.