Sex differences in visual-spatial working memory: A meta-analysis
Open accessAbstract
Visual-spatial working memory measures are widely used in clinical and experimental settings. Furthermore, it has been argued that the male advantage in spatial abilities can be explained by a sex difference in visual-spatial working memory. Therefore, sex differences in visual-spatial working memory have important implication for research, theory, and practice, but they have yet to be quantified. The present meta-analysis quantified the magnitude of sex differences in visual-spatial working memory and examined variables that might moderate them. The analysis used a set of 180 effect sizes from healthy males and females drawn from 98 samples ranging in mean age from 3 to 86 years. Multilevel meta-analysis was used on the overall data set to account for non-independent effect sizes. The data also were analyzed in separate task subgroups by means of multilevel and mixed-effects models. Results showed a small but significant male advantage (mean d = 0.155, 95 % confidence interval = 0.087-0.223). All the tasks produced a male advantage, except for memory for location, where a female advantage emerged. Age of the participants was a significant moderator, indicating that sex differences in visual-spatial working memory appeared first in the 13-17 years age group. Removing memory for location tasks from the sample affected the pattern of significant moderators. The present results indicate a male advantage in visual-spatial working memory, although age and specific task modulate the magnitude and direction of the effects. Implications for clinical applications, cognitive model building, and experimental research are discussed.
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For the new analyses, there were no systematic effects pointing in any direction among the three studies investigated (Nazareth et al., 2019; Voyer et al., 1995, 2017).
“For the new analyses, there were no systematic effects pointing in any direction among the three studies investigated (Nazareth et al., 2019; Voyer et al., 1995, 2017).”
From A Systematic Review and New Analyses of the Gender-Equality Paradox (2025) · cites this paper as Voyer et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Voyer, D., Voyer, S. D., & Saint-Aubin, J.
- Affiliations
- University of New Brunswick (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Voyer, Daniel
- ORCID
- Voyer, Daniel
- Venue
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
- Published
- 2016-06-29
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 307-334
- ISSN
- 1069-9384 (ISSN-L)
- 1531-5320
- OpenAlex
- W2470498081
- Cited by
- 400
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 61 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 0.84
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN 121485-2009, RGPIN-2015-04416)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Automotive Engineering › Spatial Cognition and Navigation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Statistics and Probability › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Keywords
- sex differences, visuospatial working memory, spatial ability, location memory, age differences
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aptitude, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Middle Aged, Sex Characteristics, Young Adult, Spatial Memory, Spatial Learning
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