Mental rotation, targeting ability and Baron-Cohen’s Empathizing–Systemizing Theory of Sex Differences

Abstract

Sex differences on such tasks as Vandenberg’s mental rotation and skilled targeting are well established with men showing performance advantages compared to women. Baron-Cohen’s Empathizing–Systemizing Theory of Sex Differences (E/S theory) suggests that male and female brains adopt different cognitive biases with male brains ‘systemizing’ and female brains ‘empathizing’. We explored the relation between abilities that typically demonstrate male advantages and performance on Systemizing Quotient (SQ), Empathizing Quotient (EQ) and ‘Reading the Mind in the Eyes’ (RMET). We hypothesized men should demonstrate superior performance on targeting, MROT and SQ task/questionnaire and that women should demonstrate superior performance on EQ and RMET. Significant sex differences were found for SQ, EQ, targeting and MROT, but not for RMET. Regression indicated that MROT was significantly predicted by higher SQ, lower EQ and unexpectedly, higher RMET scores. Regression indicated that individuals high in EQ and low in SQ were less accurate on the targeting task with their dominant hand, although high SQ individuals tended to be more accurate on targeting with their non-dominant hand. No relation between targeting and RMET scores was found. Thus, the E/S theory provides predictive power for spatial tasks that typically show male advantages.