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Original Article

Construct Your Own Response

The Cube Construction Task as a Novel Format for the Assessment of Spatial Ability

Published Online:August 03, 2016https://doi.org/10.1027/1015-5759/a000342

Abstract

Abstract. The cube construction task represents a novel format in the assessment of spatial ability through mental cube rotation tasks. Instead of selecting the correct answer from several response options, testees construct their own response in a computerized test environment. The format has several advantages: It is no longer possible to guess the correct response or to compare the reference cube to the response options, resulting in a higher demand for spatial ability. Moreover, it is possible to create items with a particularly high difficulty which are needed for the assessment of intellectual giftedness. In the present study, we developed 28 items and presented them to a sample of 130 university students. Test results showed that the items possess a very high statistical difficulty. Furthermore, the item set yielded a very high internal consistency. The results of an exploratory factor analysis as well as of a multidimensional IRT analysis indicated that a two-factor solution (“spatial relations” vs. “spatial visualization”) is plausible. Response time had a negligible influence on accuracy. Perspectives on further research concerning the cube construction task and possibilities for practical applications are being discussed.

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