How stereotypes influence spatial navigation ability across genders: a manipulation study

Men often outperform women on spatial tasks. The extent and cause of these gender differences in navigation and small-scale spatial abilities are unclear, but it has been theorized that the prevalent male-dominant stereotype concerning spatial ability might underlie a male-advantage in task performance. Previous studies found that manipulating stereotype beliefs can affect mental rotation ability, as negative stereotype information led to a drop in task performance (i.e., a stereotype threat effect) and positive stereotype information to a boost (i.e., a stereotype lift effect). In this study, we investigated whether such stereotype manipulations also had an influence on navigation ability and two small-scale spatial abilities other than mental rotation. We assigned 149 participants (74 women) to one of four conditions – threat, lift, nullified or control – and measured their performance on three small-scale spatial tasks (the Mental Rotation Test, the Paper Folding Test, and the...Show moreMen often outperform women on spatial tasks. The extent and cause of these gender differences in navigation and small-scale spatial abilities are unclear, but it has been theorized that the prevalent male-dominant stereotype concerning spatial ability might underlie a male-advantage in task performance. Previous studies found that manipulating stereotype beliefs can affect mental rotation ability, as negative stereotype information led to a drop in task performance (i.e., a stereotype threat effect) and positive stereotype information to a boost (i.e., a stereotype lift effect). In this study, we investigated whether such stereotype manipulations also had an influence on navigation ability and two small-scale spatial abilities other than mental rotation. We assigned 149 participants (74 women) to one of four conditions – threat, lift, nullified or control – and measured their performance on three small-scale spatial tasks (the Mental Rotation Test, the Paper Folding Test, and the Mechanical Reasoning Test) and on the Leiden Navigation Task assessing five navigation subdomains (landmark knowledge, egocentric location knowledge, allocentric location knowledge, path-route knowledge and path-survey knowledge). Separate MANOVAs for small-scale spatial ability and navigation ability showed that men significantly outperform women on mental rotation and mechanical reasoning, and on the navigation subdomains landmark knowledge and path-route knowledge. Contradicting earlier research, we found no hypothesized stereotype threat or lift effects for any measure of spatial ability. However, performance on the Paper Folding Test was significantly lifted in the threat condition, known as a stereotype reactance effect. Through a multiple predictor mediation analysis, we found that this stereotype effect was not mediated by self-rated ability. These outcomes suggest that gender differences in spatial ability are not the result of stereotypes, though the cause of the contradictions with previous research is unclear. Our research highlights the complexity of the field and the need to further investigate factors contributing to gender differences, to understand how we can overcome female disadvantages in spatial ability.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

How stereotypes influence spatial navigation ability across genders: a manipulation study