A Re-Examination of the Block Design Rotation Effect

Abstract

The performance of 10 normal Ss on a modification of Shapiro's (1952) Block Design Rotation Test has been assessed using two measures: (1) angular size of errors of orientation of the reproduced designs (error scores), and (2) amount of rotation of reproduced designs, i.e., taking into account both angular size and direction of errors of orientation (rotation scores). The results show that these two measures are differentially affected by the experimental variables operating in this situation and that what has been called the “block design rotation effect” does not reflect a tendency by Ss to rotate their reproductions in a particular direction. A supplementary hypothesis that the so-called block design rotation effect is related to the Poggendorf illusion was not supported by the findings.