Mental imagery in education: What impact on the relationships with visuospatial processing and school performance in junior high school students?

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between mental imagery, visuospatial processing, and academic performance among junior high school students. The influence of these variables on learning outcomes in Italian, mathematics, art, and music was also investigated. Third-year students were tested using the Mental Imagery Test and Raven's Progressive Matrices. Gender differences were explored, revealing no significant differences in mental imagery and visuospatial processing. Higher mental imagery correlated with better academic performance, particularly in Italian and mathematics. Visuospatial processing mediated the relationship between mental imagery and academic performance in Italian and mathematics, suggesting its significant role in these subjects. However, this mediation was not significant for music and art, suggesting the involvement of alternative cognitive mechanisms. These findings highlight the importance of mental imagery and visuospatial processing in academic success, particularly in abstract subjects, and advocate for educational strategies targeting these cognitive domains to enhance not only student performance but also creativity and thinking skills.