Navigation in a 'Virtual' Maze: Sex Differences and Correlation With Psychometric Measures of Spatial Ability in Humans
| Autor: | Maria Hatzipantelis, Scott D. Moffat, Elizabeth Hampson |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1998 |
| Předmět: |
Memory errors
Spatial ability Maze learning Morris water navigation task Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Spatial memory Cognitive test Developmental psychology Route finding Correlation Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous) Psychology psychological phenomena and processes Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Cognitive psychology |
| Zdroj: | Evolution and Human Behavior. 19:73-87 |
| ISSN: | 1090-5138 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/s1090-5138(97)00104-9 |
| Popis: | This study used computer-generated ("virtual") mazes to investigate sex differences in the efficiency of spatial route learning in humans. Correlations between maze performance and traditional psychometric measures of spatial ability also were examined. Male and female subjects completed a total of five learning trials on each of two spatial mazes and completed a battery of spatial and verbal cognitive tests. As well as demonstrating the typical male advantage on psychometric measures of spatial performance, robust sex differences favoring males were found for both the time required to solve the mazes ( d = 1.59) and the number of spatial memory errors committed ( d = 1.40). Highly significant positive correlations were obtained between scores on the paper and pencil tests and performance on the maze task. The results of the present study are consistent with results from studies in other mammalian species suggesting a male advantage for spatial navigation through a novel environment. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
|
Full Text from ScienceDirect