Computer programming: Science, art, or both

The purpose of this study was to determine if spatial intelligence contributes to a student's success in a computer science major or if mathematical-logical intelligence is sufficient data on which to base a prediction of success.;The study was performed at a small university. The sample consisted of 15 computer science (CS) majors, enrolled in a computer science class, and 15 non-CS-majors, enrolled in a statistics class. Seven of the CS-majors were considered advanced and seven were considered less advanced.;The independent measures were: the mathematics and the English scores from the ACT/SAT (CS-majors); a questionnaire to obtain personal information; the major area of study which compared CS-majors to all other majors; and the number of completed computer science classes (CS-majors) to determine advanced and less advanced CS-majors.;The dependent measures were: a multiple intelligence inventory for adults to determine perception of intelligences; the GEFT to determine field independence independence; the Card Rotations Test to determine spatial orientation ability; the Maze Tracing Speed Test to determine spatial scanning ability; and the Surface Development test to determine visualization ability.;The visualization measure correlated positively and significantly with the GEFT. The year in college correlated positively and significantly with the GEFT and visualization measure for CS-majors and correlated negatively for non-CS-majors. Although non-CS-majors scored higher on the spatial orientation measure, CS-majors scored significantly higher on the spatial scanning measure. The year in college correlated negatively with many of the measures and perceptions of intelligences among both groups; however, there were more significant negative correlations among non-CS-majors.;Results indicated that experience in computer programming may increase field independence, visualization ability, and spatial scanning ability while decreasing spatial orientation ability. The year in college had a positive correlation with only the perception of linguistic intelligence among all groups; it had a negative correlation with all other perceptions of intelligences and measures in at least one of the groups. Although significant differences existed between non-CS-majors and CS-majors, and between advanced and less advanced CS-majors, whether computer programming is a science, an art, or both was not conclusively determined by this study.