Abstract
21 subjects were given a series of spatial test items involving the comparison of diagrams of interlaced ropes or knots at varying orientations. Knots were chosen because they are deformable and the manipulative tasks form a contrast to previous work on rigid objects and also because there is a mathematical structure to the study of their properties. Results are compared with previous work on the mental manipulation of rigid and semirigid objects. Certain knot shapes are easier to process than others and, as with rigid objects, rotation of one of the deformable objects increases the processing time. The nature and deformability of the knots allow strategies other than mental rotation, and these strategies are reported.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.