In cognitive psychology, studies of mental rotation indicate that:

• A. mental rotation is equally fast regardless of the angle of rotation
• B. mental rotation is only possible with familiar objects
• C. the time required to mentally rotate an object increases as the angle of rotation increases
• D. people cannot mentally rotate objects in three-dimensional space

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of mental rotation in cognitive psychology, which refers to the ability to rotate mental representations of two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects.
2. Recognize that mental rotation tasks typically measure the time it takes for a person to determine if two objects are the same but rotated, or different.
3. Recall that research findings show a linear relationship between the angle of rotation and the time taken to mentally rotate the object, meaning larger angles require more time.
4. Evaluate each statement in the problem by comparing it to empirical evidence from mental rotation studies, noting that mental rotation is not equally fast regardless of angle, nor limited to familiar objects, and that people can rotate objects in 3D space.
5. Conclude that the correct statement is that the time required to mentally rotate an object increases as the angle of rotation increases, based on the well-established findings in cognitive psychology.