Aydın Adnan Menderes University spatial research presented in Czechia

A research project led by Associate Professor Alaattin Arıkan of Aydın Adnan Menderes University (ADÜ) was presented at the EUROCARTO 2026 European Cartography Conference in Brno, Czechia. Supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), the study investigates cultural differences regarding spatial thinking skills.

The research aims to establish international normative values for spatial visualization, mental rotation, and spatial orientation among students aged 12 to 18 across eight different cultural regions. The study analyzes how factors such as age, gender, socioeconomic status, and academic achievement influence these skills.

To date, researchers have collaborated with partners in 20 countries and collected data from 3,749 students. Data collection is complete in Turkey, Norway, China, the Philippines, and Ghana, while fieldwork, translation, and expert evaluations continue in other participating nations.