scholarly journals Cubes or Pellets in Mental-Rotation Tests: Effects on Gender Differences and on the Performance in a Subsequent Math Test

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Rahe ◽  
Claudia Quaiser-Pohl
Keyword(s):  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Math Anxiety ◽  
Stimulus Material ◽  
Mental Rotation Test ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Math Test ◽  
Better Than

In mental rotation, males consistently outperform females in performance and confidence. Both can affect math anxiety. In the present study, 107 undergraduate students (85 female) solved a mental-rotation test either with cube (C-MRT) or pellet (P-MRT) figures as stimulus material, then reported their confidence in their ability in the test, and solved a math test. Males performed better than females in both test versions: In the C-MRT, with a large effect, and in the P-MRT, with a small effect, and reported higher scores in their confidence. In math test performance, males scored higher than females when they solved the math test after the C-MRT but not after the P-MRT. The interactions of gender and stimulus material were not significant. Correlations between confidence and math test performance were large for males and not significant for females. Stereotype threat and lift effects are discussed as possible reasons for the varying effects of the stimulus material on the MRT performance of male and female participants.

Gender and Math Development

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julianne Herts ◽  
Susan C. Levine
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Math Anxiety ◽  
Math Attitudes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Math Development ◽  
Math Test

A great deal of research has examined math development in males versus females. Some studies indicate that males do better on standardized tests of mathematics achievement, whereas females get better grades in math class than males. Other studies find no gender differences in math development, or that differences depend on factors such as the type of math problem included on the tests. Further, there is evidence that gender differences in math test performance are not stable over time, with accumulating evidence that these differences are narrowing in more recent cohorts. In addition to evidence concerning sex differences in math grades and test performance, there is evidence that there are sex differences in math attitudes, with females showing higher levels of math anxiety and less confidence in their math ability than males, controlling for their math performance. Additionally, there is evidence that stereotypes exist such that teachers and parents believe that males are better at math than females, even when males and females have comparable levels of math skill. Moreover, when this math stereotype is activated before taking a math test, stereotype threat ensues and female performance is negatively affected. A wide range of factors, including biological differences, sociocultural factors, including stereotypes, and differences in math attitudes and interests, are likely to act in concert to account for male-female differences in mathematics achievement and decisions to enter math-intensive careers.

scholarly journals Can (perceived) mental-rotation performance mediate gender differences in math anxiety in adolescents and young adults?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Rahe ◽  
Claudia Quaiser-Pohl
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Math Anxiety ◽  
Math Performance ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Mental Rotation Test ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Gender And Age Differences

AbstractMath anxiety is a negative affective reaction in situations concerning mathematics and is related to poor math performance and a lower mathematical self-concept. Gender differences appear in math anxiety even though gender differences in math abilities are non-existent or minimal in effect size. In the present study, gender and age differences in math anxiety, mental-rotation performance, and perceived mental-rotation performance are investigated as well as (perceived) mental-rotation performance as possible mediators of the relation between gender and math anxiety. Ninety-seven children (54 females) between 11 and 15 years and 84 undergraduate students (59 females) solved a mental-rotation test, rated their performance in this test, and filled out a questionnaire about math anxiety. Increasing gender differences with age were found for math anxiety, mental-rotation performance, and perceived mental-rotation performance. Mental-rotation performance and perceived mental-rotation performance were significant individual mediators for gender differences in math anxiety. Adequate measures should be discussed to enhance females’ mental-rotation abilities and their perception of these skills to reduce gender differences in math anxiety.

Gender Differences in Mental Rotation

1994 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 435-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
John T. E. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Difference ◽  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Educational Level ◽  
Female Students ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Educational Levels ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Better Than

Two experiments were carried out to compare the performance of male and female students at different educational levels on tasks that required mental rotation. Exp. 1 also compared their performance on an overt, male-typed version and a disguised, female-typed version of the same task. Amongst introductory undergraduate students, men performed significantly better than women, but this difference was as pronounced on the disguised, female-typed version as on the overt, male-typed task. However, there was no sign of any gender difference on the overt task in advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students. The latter finding was not replicated in Exp. 2, in which significant effects of gender regardless of the students' educational level were noted. Nevertheless, the effect size was significantly smaller than that obtained for comparable students tested on the same task during the 1970s. Taken together, these results confirm that gender differences in at least some aspects of mental rotation may be abolished by educational experience and that gender differences in mental rotation have become smaller over the last 20 years. Such findings favor sociocultural explanations of gender differences in mental rotation rather than biological explanations.

“Men are Better Than Women!” The Positive Effect of a Negative Stereotype Toward Women on a Self-Paced Cycling Exercise

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxime Deshayes ◽  
Corentin Clément-Guillotin ◽  
Raphaël Zory
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stereotype Threat ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Technical Skills ◽  
Cycling Exercise ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Negative Stereotype ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Better Than

Previous research on the stereotype threat phenomenon has shown that inducing a negative stereotype toward a group debilitates motor performance despite the increase in motivation. Most of the studies focused on tasks requiring technical skills. However, what happens when the task does not require technical skills but focuses on energy expenditure? To examine this question, 34 male and female participants were assigned to a negative stereotype toward women and a nullified-stereotype condition and performed 20 min of self-paced cycling exercise. The authors hypothesized better performances when participants were assigned to the negative stereotype toward women condition than when assigned to the nullified-stereotype condition. As predicted, men and women increased their performances, accompanied by increases in heart rate. Concerning women, this result provides support for the notion that the effect of inducing a negative stereotype is task dependent, but further research is needed to more deeply investigate the mechanisms involved.

Beyond genetics in Mental Rotation Test performance

2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 464-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelica Moè ◽  
Francesca Pazzaglia
Keyword(s):  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Mental Rotation Test ◽  
Rotation Test
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