Sex Differences in Line Judgment: Relation to Mathematics Preparation and Strategy Use
Abstract
This study explored visuospatial ability using a new group-administered task, the Judgment of Line Angle and Position-15 test (JLAP-15). We investigated how this task relates to the Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test and whether the sex difference in performance could be explained by the number of prior mathematics courses or strategy used. Undergraduates (n=86 men and 112 women) completed the two tests and reported their strategies. Men had higher scores than women on both tests (d=1.04 for JLAP-15 and 1.10 for the Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test), with a significant intertask correlation of .41. Regression analyses indicated that strategy type, number of mathematics courses completed, and sex were significant predictors of performance on the JLAP-15 but only accounted for 21% of the variance.
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Several papers have found women use different, often piecemeal, strategies in spatial tasks.
“Several papers have found women use different, often piecemeal, strategies in spatial tasks (Cherney & Collaer, 2005;Heil & Jansen-Osmann, 2008;Picucci et al., 2011)”
From Factors Related to Mean Score Group Differences on Cognitive Ability Tests: A Systematic Review (2025) · cites this paper as Cherney & Collaer, 2005
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“Similar tasks have shown large sex differences favoring men in laboratory research ( Cherney & Collaer, 2005 ; C ollaer & Nelson, 2002).”
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Cherney, I. D. (2008) · Sex Roles · doi:10.1007/s11199-008-9498-z · Cited by 209 · see citing works
“Males consistently outperform females on this difficult task with effect sizes as high as d=1.10 (Cherney and Collaer 2005).”
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“This finding is consistent with other studies that have shown males outperforming females on tasks necessitating visual–spatial and mental rotation abilities (e.g., Cherney & Collaer, 2005; Cherney & Neff, 2004; Halpern, 2000).”
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“Studies have found that males score significantly better in mental rotation, spatial perception tests and dynamic spatial ability (Cherney & Collaer, 2005 ; Collaer & Hill, 2006 ; Halpern & Tan, 2001 ; Jonasson, 2005 ; Lawton, 2010 ; Linn & Petersen, 1985 ; Silverman, Choi, & Peters, 2007 ; Titze et al, 2008 ) and onl…”
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“Males outperform females on both JLAP versions (Cohen’s ds = .85 to 1.11, a large difference) in groups of college students ( Cherney & Collaer, 2005; Collaer & Nelson, 2002) and in relatively less selective groups, such as high school students (Collaer & Hill, 2006).”
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“The JLAP-15 is a recently developed visuospatial task that typically shows a large gender difference favoring men (Cohen’s d = .85 to 1.11; Cherney & Collaer, 2005; Collaer & Nelson, 2002).”
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“Researchers have proposed that visuospatial activities (Baenninger and Newcombe 1989), videogame experience (Terlecki and Newcombe 2005), videogame training and practice (Cherney 2008; Terlecki et al. 2007), map reading and navigation (Cherney et al. 2008), sports (Cherney and London 2006; Ginn and Pickens 2005; Hult…”
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“target line segments were each 1 cm in length, whereas the comparison lines were 3 cm in length (Cherney and Collaer, 2005).”
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“Research shows robust and consistent gender differences in MR, as men rotate three-dimensional objects faster and more accurately than women (Bodner & Guay, 1997; Cherney & Collaer, 2005; Resnick, 1993; Voyer et al., 1995; Walter, Roberts, & Brownlow, 2000).”
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“ةساردويليك )Kelly,2008, p127 ( مادختسا ىلع بيردتلا نأ ترھظأ يتلاو لح يف يندتملا ليصحتلا يوذ ذيملاتلا ءادأ نيسحت ىلع دعاس ةيفرعملا قوف ةيجيتارتسإ تلاكشملا ةيظفللا ةيضايرلا، ةساردونسح )2000 ص ،129 ( سيردتل نأ ىلإ تلصوت يتلا لا لحل ةعونتم تايجيتارتسا يساسلأا يناثلا فصلا ةبلطةلكشم يتيلمع ىلع ةيظفللا…”
- Authors
- Cherney, I. D., & Collaer, M. L.
- Affiliations
- Creighton University (US)
- Middlebury College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cherney, Isabelle D.
- ORCID
- Cherney, Isabelle D.
- Venue
- Perceptual and Motor Skills
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2005-06
- Volume
- 100
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 615-627
- ISSN
- 0031-5125 (ISSN-L)
- 1558-688X
- OpenAlex
- W2075854426
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 1 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 6.93
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Perceptual and Motor Skills (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Automotive Engineering › Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- sex differences, visuospatial ability, mental rotation, mathematics preparation, problem-solving strategies, undergraduate students
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention, Cues, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Imagination, Judgment, Male, Mathematics, Orientation, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Problem Solving, Psychological Tests, Sex Factors, Space Perception
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