Influence of Gender Differences - Essay Example

A Practical Report based upon the Mental Rotation Experiment Affiliation Psychology completed a task todetermine reaction time of different angle of rotation and influence of gender differences. Participants were given a series of different shapes on computer screen for 48 trials. The experiment involved comparing random shapes. The results showed that as the angle of rotation becomes bigger, it took the participants longer to make decision whether it’s an identical version of the shape or reflected version. The results also showed that female have higher reaction time than males in mental rotation task. The study assumes colourful shapes, specific location, and study environment for the task to be done. Further research could assume age range, sample size, for the study to illuminate task of mental rotation. Introduction Mental images are analogue representations of physical objects. This paper entails a practical reports based on a mental rotation experiment. According to Shepard & Metzler (1971), people rotate pictures and shapes mentally the same way they rotate shapes and pictures physically. Studies by Shepard & Metzler (1971) found symbolic distance effect by using different shapes to find whether the shape is perfect version of identical version. This study also considered gender differences in their study by using both male and female for this study. Many researchers such as Kosslyn et al, Harshman & Paivio (1987), and Shepard & Metzler (1971) examined how people rotate shapes mentally and whether gender or individual differences have any effect the way the shapes are being rotated or not. Some of these researchers also have found that verbal habits, skills and mental rotation of three-dimensional objects may also influence when rotating an object. Reports of better imagery in females can be found in past studies of Gallon (1907), to recent times as depicted by Durndell & Wetherick (1975), Ernest (1983), Hiscock (1978), Schmcidler (1965), Sheehan (1967), White, Ashton & Brown (1977), and Michael, (1966), as cited in White, Sheehan & Ashlon (1977). “Most of these sex differences involve traditional measures of imagery vividness.” However, females also got higher score on a study by Hiscock (1978), which measures habitual ways of thinking. According to Paivio and Harshman’s theory, females are more often reported use images to remember, such as colorful images of previously experienced scenes, which show frequency habitual routine. Compared to males, studies reported the use of images that are parts of a problem solving and have the ability to visualize moving objects (Paivio, Harshman, 1987). For example females maybe habitually do well at static memory imagery, whereas males might do well at dynamic transformation or manipulation of images. Consequently, male performs well on some paper and pencil spatial tasks that involve spatial transformation, whereas female perform well on some tasks requiring visual memory. Female have the tendency of reporting events and using imagery, in which case the images are stimulated by verbal accounts of events. The theory of Paivio & Harshman (1987) indicates that female tend to have more pictorial imagery compare to males. According Kosslyn & Shwartz (1980, 1981), individuals constantly differ with deference to specific imagery abilities (Kosslyn et al., 1984, 2004). According to the common sense theory, people differ on variables such as image vividness and image control. Individual difference would largely have an impact on how an image and shape is perceived. Paivio & Harshman, (1983) has come to conclusion that individual differences in imagery are multidimensional. Additionally factor analysis of the Gordon Inventory according to Ashton & White (1974) and White & Ashton (1977) suggested that imagery ability might be multidimensional. From the research aimed at concluding the mentally rotation of a shape or imagery, angle size influences how long it would take an individual to rotate a shape. This paper also examines whether the gender differences of male and female influence the decision on rotating a shapes and images mentally. It was hypothesised that as the angle of rotation goes upwards (the degree goes higher), the reaction time of participant’s increases. In addition, it was hypothesised that gender differences of males and females affects the way one perceives shapes and imageries. Method Participants The 280 participants in this study were from Flinders University, Psyc2020 cognition and learning. The students consisted of 72 males and 208 females with their age range being from 17 to 55 years old. Most of the participants were females. Participation by the students was voluntary, with no incentives offered. Materials The 48 trials of different shapes were shown to determine participants’ perception on whether the shape on the left is identical to the right shape or not. Participants were given a series of different shapes on computer screen in 48 trials. The experiment involved comparing random shapes. Participants used the computer mouse to click the “Yes” or, “No" button. The mean time was measured in seconds. Participants were also asked for more information such as gender and age. Procedure: For each trial, all the 280 participants were shown two versions of a particular shape. The shape on the left was the standard version and the shape on the right was either the same standard version as the shape on the left, or was a reflected version of the shape on the left. The shape on the left would always appear upright, and the shape on the right was rotated on each trial, and participants had to rotated the right shape mentally first then decide whether the shape is identical to the left shape. Participants’ task was to demonstrate whether the shape on the left is identical to the right shape or not. Participants’ task was to complete 48 trails, and to mentally reorient the shape on the right to its upright position and then to decide whether it is the same standard version as the shape on the left, or is a reflected version of the shape on the left. Results The data was presented in table 1 as shown below. Table 1: Angle of Rotation in Men and Women Angle of Rotation Women Men 0 2.60 2.33 45 3.02 2.71 90 3.28 3.11 135 3.76 3.44 180 3.93 3.63 225 3.66 3.38 270 3.42 3.08 315 2.96 2.63 The tabulated data was presented in a graph as shown below: The graph shows that as the angle of rotation becomes bigger, it takes the participants longer to make decision whether it’s an identical version of the shape or reflected version. This goes on until the angle of rotation reaches 180o after which further angle increase leads to a short time of making decision. If the shape on the right was reflected version of the shape on the left participants first rotated the shape mentally to the right position. According to the test, it was indicated that participants mentally rotate the second shape to its upright position first then compared with the standard version of the shape. After mentally rotating the imagery, they responded on whether or not the shape is identical to the first shape. The results from the table also showed that if a shape has been rotated to the extent of 180 degree physically it would take longer for an individual to compare to a shape, which has been rotated to 30 degrees. Typically, mental images are analogical representative of physical objects. From the table it can be demonstrated that females consisted the largest portion of the participants and they tend to show higher reaction time than males. The same case is clearly shown on the graph whereby the line for females is always above that of males. This indicates that sex differences also influences the reaction time in mental rotation since females tend to take much longer time than males. Discussion As mentioned above, mental images are analogue representations of physical objects. This finding supports the result of Paivio & Harshman (1987) in the examination of reaction time. The results provide supports for the hypothesis that as angle of rotation goes upwards the reaction time of participant’s increases. This information supports the hypothesis and the hypothesis has been supported in this study through the fact that, as the angle of rotation becomes bigger, it takes the participant longer to make decisions. According to results, participants mentally rotate the second shape to its upright position first then compared with the standard version of the shape. After mentally rotating the imagery they respond whether or not the shape is identical to the first shape. The results show that, females have higher reaction time than males. The results also show that the reason why it takes females longer to decide might be because “males are more proficient on paper and pencil tests requiring mental rotation or transformation” according to Harris (1978) and Maccoby & Jacklin (1974). It could be said high percentage of the participants were female is a limitation to this study. To eliminate this limitation in further research, participant’s sample size should be considered the same for both males and females. The results supported the hypothesis that gender differences influences the way an image is perceived. As predicted, the females scored higher than males on the mental imagery test. This could be how female perceive the shape mentally. These findings are supported by earlier studies in which female are found to require more time to rotate the shape mentally than males. However, further research need to be conducted to establish that ability might relate to individual differences in specific kinds of imagery abilities (Kosslyn et al., 1984, 2002, 2004). Further research can assume gender difference mechanisms that underlie the structure of mental imagery among individuals. Also, the further research could include activates such as different colour shapes to determine whether reaction time would differ from the black and white unpleasant shapes used in this study. Confound variable was location and environment of the study which it took place. The location was unknown to participants they could do the task at home, university, in the bus. If it was a set location for participants to complete the task the results might be different. The environment where the task completed could have affected the study, for example if one participant did the task at home a family member might distract them, whereas at University at set study environment the case might be different. Additional limitation of this study was the wide rage of age group. Differences in age may influence how long it might take a participant to make the decision that the shape is mirror or standard version of the first image. In general, the results of this study establish that as the angle of rotation goes upwards the reaction time of participant’s increases. It is because the angle of the rotation must be rotate mentally first, after which a decision is made on whether the shape is mirror or not. Further research could assume age range, sample size, coloured shapes, and further suggest a specific location for the study to illuminate task of mental rotation. In essence, the male participants in this case hardly make a good sample for the representations. References Kosslyn, S. M., Brunn, J. L., Cave, K. R., & Wallach, R. W. (1984). Individual differences in visual imagery: a computational analysis. Cognition 18, 195-243 Harshman R.A. & Paivio, A. (1987). “Paradoxical” sex differences in self-reported imagery. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 41, 287-302 Paivio, A., & Harshman, R. A. (1983). Factor analysis of a questionnaire on imagery and verbal habits and skills. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 37, 46l-483 Shepard, R. N. & Metzler, J. (1971) Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701– 703 Read More