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From: nadel@aerospace.aero.org (Miriam H. Nadel)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: sex/gender
Message-ID: <18834@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu>
Date: 22 Jul 89 15:25:48 GMT
References: <8907071844.AA10158@cattell.psych.upenn.edu> <10546@polya.Stanford.EDU> <12869@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU> <10781@polya.Stanford.EDU>
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Status: R


Regarding sex differences in spatial abilities among humans and voles.
I read one of the articles Gordon cited on voles.  It studied two
populations of voles, one in which males covered a larger territory
than females, the other in which the territories between the two were
similar.  In the first group, spatial ability was greater in males
and in the second group, they were similar between the sexes.  
Assuming these studies are valid, they show that differences in spatial
ability by sex is not a given since there was no difference in the
second group.  But most importantly, the cause and effect cannot
be separated.  In the first group, did the increased spatial ability
cause an increase in territorial coverage among males or did the
increased territorial coverage cause increased spatial ability?

There is evidence among humans that differences in environment affects
spatial ability.  In a Kenya village, children who undertook tasks that
led them away from home performed better on several measures of
visual-spatial ability than children remaining close to home. [1]
Cross-culturally, Eskimos, who roam over a large relatively featureless
area, have greater spatial abilities than the Temme of Sierra Leone, who
roam over land with vegetation of various colors. [2]  Eskimo girls are
allowed more freedom relative to Eskimo boys than is the case for Temme
girls.  There is no sex difference in spatial ability among Eskimos but
there is a difference among the Temme. [2,3]  Other cultural studies
suggest that sex differences in spatial ability are strongest in societies
in which the female social role is most limited and that these differences
tend to disappear in societies in which women have a great deal of freedom.
[4]

These studies show that environment can play a large role in spatial ability.
To the extent that males and females have a different environment, they may
have differences in spatial ability.  This does not say that sex differences
in spatial ability do not exist, just that these differences are not 
inevitable.

Judy

MD-Ph.D student -- 10 months to go!


[1] Nerlove SB et al.  J Social Psychology 84:3-10 (1971)

[2] Berry JW.  Int J Psychology 1:207-229 (1966)

[3] MacArthur R. Int J Psychology 2:139-140 (1967)

[4] Berry JW.  Canad J Behav Sci 3:324-36 (1971)