Visual Spatial Skills

Visual spatial skills are defined as the capacity to understand and remember the spatial relations among objects in mental and physical spaces. They are necessary for a variety of basic functions, such as locating objects, guiding motor movements, and orienting in a new environment. Consequently, abnormalities in the development of visual spatial skills can result in a wide range of deficits across motor, social, and cognitive domains. This entry provides a brief overview of visual spatial skills and their development, neural basis, atypical functioning in Williams syndrome, and relation to academic achievement.

The Development of Visual Spatial Skills

Infants are born with some core visual spatial abilities that allow them to orient their attention toward objects, perceive shapes, and make sense of observed movements. For example, when ...

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