# Functional perspectives in mental jigsaw puzzles: Insights from eye-tracking, questionnaire, and behavioral data

## TL;DR

This study explores how people solve mental jigsaw puzzles, revealing patterns in eye movements and decision-making strategies.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel integration of eye-tracking, questionnaire, and behavioral data to analyze mental jigsaw puzzles.

## Key findings

- Smaller protruding objects were consistently directed toward larger indented objects in mental jigsaw puzzles.
- Longer completion times and reduced linearity were observed, similar to physical puzzle-solving strategies.
- Behavioral asymmetries in puzzles mirrored those in object mental rotation tasks.

## Abstract

This study investigated cognitive strategies in mental jigsaw puzzles, integrating mental rotation and translation with a focus on directionality and detour arguments. Unlike object mental rotation tasks, these puzzles introduced physical constraints, revealing systematic directional tendencies in both eye movements and subjective reports. Specifically, smaller protruding objects were consistently directed toward larger indented objects. This was accompanied by longer completion times and reduced linearity, paralleling strategies used in physical puzzle-solving. Behavioral asymmetries observed in the puzzles unexpectedly mirrored those found in object mental rotation tasks. While controlling for mental motion directions showed comparable completion times at 300° between tasks, the study did not fully clarify the role of detours, indicating the need for further research.