Mental rotation in motion
Postural indicators of egocentric perspective shifts
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22430959 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Philipp Hofmann (0000-0001-7731-8998, University of Regensburg, corresponding author), Petra Jansen (0000-0002-0973-2158, University of Regensburg), Jansen Petra (University of Regensburg) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 193-200 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-03 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | European Journal of Cognitive Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0954-1446 • E-ISSN: 1464-0635 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/20445911.2026.2627950 |
| OpenAlex | W7133801938 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 29 |
Mental rotation (MR) is the ability to imagine objects rotating mentally. In egocentric MR, participants view a human figure with a lateral feature and decide whether it appears on the right or left side. The task likely requires mentally simulating a change in one’s own perspective. Because mental and motor rotations are linked and MR ability relates to postural stability, the present study investigates whether postural control is modulated during egocentric MR. 108 participants stood on a force plate, performing a dual-task egocentric MR paradigm with human figures rotated around the x-, y-, or z-axis. CoP-parameters were analysed using a two-factor repeated-measures ANOVA with within-subject factors “axis of rotation” and “rotation angle”. Robust axis- and angle-dependent effects were observed, with particularly pronounced differences for rotations around the z-axis. These findings indicate that postural stability may be influenced by embodied perspective-taking during egocentric MR, providing preliminary behavioural evidence supporting embodiment theory.
Mental image · Mental Rotation · Perspective-taking · Child and Animal Learning Development · Historical Geography and Cartography · Spatial Cognition and Navigation
| Highly cited | No |
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