Sex differences in dynamic spatial ability : The unsolved question of performance factors

Males and females differ in several cognitive abilities, although the largest gap can be found in spatial ability. Some published studies make the claim that performance factors, which can be either subject- or task-related variables, explain these differences. However, previous studies in which per...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Memory & cognition 2007-03, Vol.35 (2), p.297-303
Main Authors: CONTRERAS, Maria Jose, RUBIO, Victor J, PENA, Daniel, COLOM, Roberto, SANTACREU, Jose
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ability tests
Accuracy
Adult
Aptitude
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition
Cognition. Intelligence
Cognitive ability
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender differences
Humans
Intellectual and cognitive abilities
Male
Males
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Sex Factors
Space Perception
Spatial perception. Time perception
Studies
Variables
Visualization
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Summary:Males and females differ in several cognitive abilities, although the largest gap can be found in spatial ability. Some published studies make the claim that performance factors, which can be either subject- or task-related variables, explain these differences. However, previous studies in which performance factors were measured have focused on static spatial tests. Little is known about the role of performance factors in dynamic spatial tasks. In the present study, we analyzed a sample of 2624 university graduates to test the role of three performance factors (response latency, response frequency, and invested time) derived from the Spatial Orientation Dynamic Test-Revised (SODT-R; Santacreu, 1999). The results showed that males and females appear to cope with the dynamic task in different ways. However, males outperformed females even when the effects of the performance factors were partialed out; that is, the assessed performance factors did not explain much of the sex-related variance. Alternative ways of measuring performance factors will be needed if they are to explain sex differences in dynamic spatial ability.
ISSN:0090-502X
1532-5946
DOI:10.3758/BF03193450