Sexuality and mental rotation
Judy Skatssoon (6/4/2007), writing for news.com.au, says that the University of Warwick has "dealt heterosexual women a final indignity." Skatssoon is referring to research by Michael Tlauka that found differences in mental rotation ability, with straight men scoring the highest while straight women scored the lowest. However, although the news articles attribute this work to Tlauka, the paper published in April's Archives of Sexual Behavior was published by Maylor et al (2007).
Tlauka et al (2005) tested men and women with paper and computer maps in a virtual store, and found that men required less time and made fewer mistakes than their female counterparts. Martin et al's 2007 review of the effect of testosterone and estrogen finds that gender differences in spatial ability are "large and robust."
Mental rotation tasks (MRT) are probably one of my favorite topics because they really do seem to consistently break down by gender. The fact that Maylor et al found that ability appeared to vary by sexuality (determined by self-identification, on an internet survey) continues to tie sexuality and gender together in a way that I politically deny and inwardly fear may be true. Research that classifies by sexuality often seems to suggest that lesbians are more "manly" and gay men more "womanly" than their straight counterparts. I don't know what to make of it, but it feels to me as if they are asking the wrong questions.
Tlauka et al (2005) tested men and women with paper and computer maps in a virtual store, and found that men required less time and made fewer mistakes than their female counterparts. Martin et al's 2007 review of the effect of testosterone and estrogen finds that gender differences in spatial ability are "large and robust."
Mental rotation tasks (MRT) are probably one of my favorite topics because they really do seem to consistently break down by gender. The fact that Maylor et al found that ability appeared to vary by sexuality (determined by self-identification, on an internet survey) continues to tie sexuality and gender together in a way that I politically deny and inwardly fear may be true. Research that classifies by sexuality often seems to suggest that lesbians are more "manly" and gay men more "womanly" than their straight counterparts. I don't know what to make of it, but it feels to me as if they are asking the wrong questions.