Revisiting an Old Question with a New Technology: Gender Differences on a Neuro-Cognitive Temporal Tracking Task

Abstract

Gender differences exist, but the strength and importance of those differences is debatable. This study examined differences in performance among men (n = 64) and women (n = 56) on 14 neuro-cognitive temporal tasks. No adult norms exist for these tasks. Therefore, the goals were to 1) record and compare scores achieved by men and women, and 2) investigate differences in terms of performance (grade point average and physical fitness score) during Army Health Care Specialist Advanced Individual Training (AIT). Descriptive statistics and t-tests identified and compared scores by gender, while IM scores and performance relationships were explored with Pearson product-moment correlations and regression analysis. Men's temporal responses were closer to the reference beat than women's on 14.3% of tasks (p < 0.05). There were no significant relationships between temporal responses and physical fitness performance scores and only two correlations between temporal responses and grade point average (right hand tapping, Task Average and Super Right On (percent within ±15ms of the target beat) ( r = 0.189, p = 0.04; and r = 0.20, p = 0.03). While this research upheld findings of differences between men and women in temporal abilities, the differences did not impact functional performance during AIT.