IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/igg/jthi00/v2y2006i2p24-48.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Paleolithic Stone Age Effect? : Gender Differences Performing Specific Computer-Generated Spatial Tasks

Author

Listed:
  • Geoffrey S. Hubona

    (Georiga State University, USA)

  • Gregory W. Shirah

    (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, USA)

Abstract

Most computer applications feature visual user interfaces that assume that all users have equivalent propensities to perceive, interpret, and understand the multidimensional spatial properties and relationships of the objects presented. However, the hunter-gatherer theory (Silverman & Eals, 1992) suggests that there are modern-day differences between the genders in spatial and cognitive abilities that stem from differentiated prehistoric sex roles. If true, there may be discrepancies in how males and females differentially utilize particular spatial visual cues and interface features. We report three experiments in which participants engage in visual spatial tasks using 2D and 3D virtual worlds: (1) matching object shapes; (2) positioning objects; and (3) resizing objects. Female subjects under-perform male subjects in the matching and positioning experiments, but they outperform male subjects in the resizing experiment. Moreover, male subjects make more use of motion cues. Implications for the design of gender-effective user interfaces and virtual environments are considered.

Suggested Citation

  • Geoffrey S. Hubona & Gregory W. Shirah, 2006. "The Paleolithic Stone Age Effect? : Gender Differences Performing Specific Computer-Generated Spatial Tasks," International Journal of Technology and Human Interaction (IJTHI), IGI Global, vol. 2(2), pages 24-48, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:igg:jthi00:v:2:y:2006:i:2:p:24-48
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://services.igi-global.com/resolvedoi/resolve.aspx?doi=10.4018/jthi.2006040102
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:igg:jthi00:v:2:y:2006:i:2:p:24-48. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Journal Editor (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.igi-global.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.