Men are no better than women at spatial cognition tasks, such as map reading, according to groundbreaking research from Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software, hosted at the University of Limerick (UL), Ireland.
Dr. Mark Campbell and Dr. Adam Toth from the Lero Esports Science Research Lab employed advanced eye-tracking technology to demonstrate no male advantage in mental rotation skills, a key aspect of spatial cognition.
"Spatial cognition—our ability to navigate environments—has been debated for nearly 40 years, with claims of a male edge in mental rotation tests," explained Dr. Campbell. The Lero Esports Science Research Lab, Ireland's first of its kind since opening in 2019, focuses on studying cognitive abilities in individuals and gamers.
"Superior performance on these tests correlates with higher IQ and success in STEM subjects," Dr. Campbell added.
Dr. Toth summarized: "Contrary to common belief, our study found no male advantage in mental rotation. Extending test time eliminated any apparent difference, indicating it's not a true sex-based gap but influenced by other factors."
The research also revealed that men and women employ distinct gaze strategies during tests to reach the same correct answers.
One hundred UL undergraduate and graduate students from psychology and sports sciences—47 men and 53 women, average age 23, all in good health—participated in the study.
