Gac 023 Assessment Report
GAC 023 Assessment event: Estimation of sizes
The male and female hormone’s relation with spatial abilities
Student name:
Student ID:
Teacher:
Due date: 10/07/14
Word count:
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………..1
METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………….1
RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………………….2-3
GRAPHICS……………………………………………………………………………………...4
ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………………………………5
DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………………………………… 5-6
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………6
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………7
Introduction
It is still unclear whether sex hormones (male or females) affect on the ability humans have on the estimation of sizes. Research shows that …show more content…
androgens increase the performance of spatial abilities in humans, although this can compromise verbal fluency abilities, making males more efficient than females when estimating 3D spaces. The purpose of this experiment is to know if males are better than Females when estimating sizes.
Methodology
For this experiment 10 Females subject and 10 Male where needed. All of them are around the age of 18-23 years old, and same sociocultural environment. The material that was used was going to be 2 pieces of red ribbon that have different sizes. The first ribbon was going to measure 120cm, and the second ribbon was 50 cm. This ribbons where hanged at a distance of 3 m from every subject. Then, all the subjects were asked to make an approximate calculation on how large both ribbons where. All the data was written down and then put into a table in order to analyze the answers.
Results
Subject Ribbon #1 Ribbon #2 Margin of error by “cm”
A 100 cm 40 cm 30 cm
B 100 cm 30 cm 40 cm
C 85 cm 45 cm 40 cm
D 80 cm 40 cm 50 cm
E 110 cm 35 cm 25 cm
F 115 cm 46 cm 9 cm
G 91 cm 55 cm 24 cm
H 136 cm 50 cm 16 cm
I 94 cm 37 cm 39 cm
J 101 cm 47 cm 22 cm
TOTAL 29.5 cm
Subject Ribbon #1 Ribbon #2 Margin of error by “cm”
A 90 cm 30 cm 50 cm
B 110 cm 35 cm 25 cm
C 90 cm 30 cm 50 cm
D 85 cm 41 cm 44 cm
E 80 cm 40 cm 50 cm
F 100 cm 45 cm 25 cm
G 100 cm 37 cm 33 cm
H 70 cm 30 cm 70 cm
I 70 cm 40 cm 60 cm
J 95 cm 60 cm 15 cm
TOTAL 42.2 cm
Analysis
As shown in the results, it is seen that males have a lower margin of mistake than females, by a difference of 12.7 cm. That means that males have an advantage over females when it comes to spatial abilities. While analyzing the results in the table, it can be seen that females tend to round up and give a familiar number, making a less accurate approximation. While males, tend to say and exact and odd number that they think of, and that makes them have a more accurate and closer estimation of the ribbons. Only one subject (male) was able to give the exact length of a ribbon (ribbon #2).
Discussion
When it comes to performing activities that require spatial skills, like navigating in a 3D space or giving directions, men generally do better. Females use the cerebral cortex for solving problems that require navigation skills. Males use an entirely different area, mainly the left hippocampus that is located deep inside the brain, and it is not activated in the female 's brains during navigation tasks. The left hippocampus, automatically scans where you are in space. As a result, females are more likely to rely on landmark cues such as “Turn at the 7-11 and make a right at the church”, while males are more likely to navigate with deeper detail such as “Go east, then west, etc”.
Three-dimensional mental rotation tasks are the best example to test and compare the domain of spatial abilities in gender matter. Mental rotation abilities, are the abilities a human has to imagine objects from a different perspective other than the one that it is shown to them. Gender differences in mental rotations have been observed in African, and East Indian populations, as well as in Western cultures. Gender differences in spatial abilities are greater than those observed in mental rotations. This has been reported in the use of virtual water mazes, and computerized versions of mazes, because virtual water maze and mental rotation performance are correlated with one another. During this tests that are performed in animals and humans, males outperform females on water mazes in both humans and animal subjects. This means that male hormones help significantly the spatial ability not just in humans, but in animals also.
In the experiment that was done above, it can be compare how males have an upper hand against females due to the use of more male hormones that enhances the use of the left hippocampus and the cerebral cortex, meaning that males have a better knowledge on how to move the table, where is it located in space and how much space does it need to move and making it easier for males to complete the test with less mistakes.
With the experiment that was done, it can be said that the hypothesis and the initial idea was achieved and came out as planned. All the research done points out how males have better spatial abilities and deeper space analysis when it comes to navigate than females, and the research given enhances more the results and proves them right.
Conclusion
To conclude with this experiment, it can be said that males have a better visuospatial abilities thanks to a better use of the cerebral cortex and the left hippocampus that control and analyze the 3D space a human is immersed in. This developed sense of space, is improved by male hormones such as testosterone and androgens. Males have a 0.02% less margin of error than females when it came to the experiment done before. This proves the hypothesis right, meaning that males are actually better when navigating, estimating and moving in a 3D space.
References
Bailey, R. (2014). Learn About the Anatomy of the Brain. [online] About. Available at: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/cerebral-cortex.htm [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Bbc.co.uk, (2014).
BBC - Science & Nature - Sex ID - Spatial Abilities. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/articles/spatial_tests.shtml [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Halpern, D. (2004). A Cognitive-Process Taxonomy for Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities. Current Directions in Psychological Science, [online] 13(4), pp.135-139. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.00292.x [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Hausmann, M., Slabbekoorn, D., Van Goozen, S., Cohen-Kettenis, P. and Güntürkün, O. (2000). Sex hormones affect spatial abilities during the menstrual cycle. Behavioral Neuroscience, [online] 114(6), pp.1245-1250. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.114.6.1245 [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Imperato-McGlnley, J., Plchardo, M., Gautier, T., Voyer, D. and Bryden, M. (1991). Cognitive abilities in androgen-insensitive subjects: comparison with control males and females from the same kindred. Clinical Endocrinology, [online] 34(5), pp.341-347. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2265.1991.tb00303.x [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Sciencedirect.com, (2014). Sex Differences in Cerebral Processing of Visuospatial Tasks. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945273800097 [Accessed 7 Oct.
2014].
Webmd.com, (2014). How Male and Female Brains Differ. [online] Available at: http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/how-male-female-brains-differ?page=3 [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
The male and female hormone’s relation with spatial abilities
Student name:
Student ID:
Teacher:
Due date: 10/07/14
Word count:
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………..1
METHODOLOGY……………………………………………………………………………….1
RESULTS……………………………………………………………………………………….2-3
GRAPHICS……………………………………………………………………………………...4
ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………………………………5
DISCUSSION…………………………………………………………………………………… 5-6
CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………………6
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………7
Introduction
It is still unclear whether sex hormones (male or females) affect on the ability humans have on the estimation of sizes. Research shows that …show more content…
androgens increase the performance of spatial abilities in humans, although this can compromise verbal fluency abilities, making males more efficient than females when estimating 3D spaces. The purpose of this experiment is to know if males are better than Females when estimating sizes.
Methodology
For this experiment 10 Females subject and 10 Male where needed. All of them are around the age of 18-23 years old, and same sociocultural environment. The material that was used was going to be 2 pieces of red ribbon that have different sizes. The first ribbon was going to measure 120cm, and the second ribbon was 50 cm. This ribbons where hanged at a distance of 3 m from every subject. Then, all the subjects were asked to make an approximate calculation on how large both ribbons where. All the data was written down and then put into a table in order to analyze the answers.
Results
Subject Ribbon #1 Ribbon #2 Margin of error by “cm”
A 100 cm 40 cm 30 cm
B 100 cm 30 cm 40 cm
C 85 cm 45 cm 40 cm
D 80 cm 40 cm 50 cm
E 110 cm 35 cm 25 cm
F 115 cm 46 cm 9 cm
G 91 cm 55 cm 24 cm
H 136 cm 50 cm 16 cm
I 94 cm 37 cm 39 cm
J 101 cm 47 cm 22 cm
TOTAL 29.5 cm
Subject Ribbon #1 Ribbon #2 Margin of error by “cm”
A 90 cm 30 cm 50 cm
B 110 cm 35 cm 25 cm
C 90 cm 30 cm 50 cm
D 85 cm 41 cm 44 cm
E 80 cm 40 cm 50 cm
F 100 cm 45 cm 25 cm
G 100 cm 37 cm 33 cm
H 70 cm 30 cm 70 cm
I 70 cm 40 cm 60 cm
J 95 cm 60 cm 15 cm
TOTAL 42.2 cm
Analysis
As shown in the results, it is seen that males have a lower margin of mistake than females, by a difference of 12.7 cm. That means that males have an advantage over females when it comes to spatial abilities. While analyzing the results in the table, it can be seen that females tend to round up and give a familiar number, making a less accurate approximation. While males, tend to say and exact and odd number that they think of, and that makes them have a more accurate and closer estimation of the ribbons. Only one subject (male) was able to give the exact length of a ribbon (ribbon #2).
Discussion
When it comes to performing activities that require spatial skills, like navigating in a 3D space or giving directions, men generally do better. Females use the cerebral cortex for solving problems that require navigation skills. Males use an entirely different area, mainly the left hippocampus that is located deep inside the brain, and it is not activated in the female 's brains during navigation tasks. The left hippocampus, automatically scans where you are in space. As a result, females are more likely to rely on landmark cues such as “Turn at the 7-11 and make a right at the church”, while males are more likely to navigate with deeper detail such as “Go east, then west, etc”.
Three-dimensional mental rotation tasks are the best example to test and compare the domain of spatial abilities in gender matter. Mental rotation abilities, are the abilities a human has to imagine objects from a different perspective other than the one that it is shown to them. Gender differences in mental rotations have been observed in African, and East Indian populations, as well as in Western cultures. Gender differences in spatial abilities are greater than those observed in mental rotations. This has been reported in the use of virtual water mazes, and computerized versions of mazes, because virtual water maze and mental rotation performance are correlated with one another. During this tests that are performed in animals and humans, males outperform females on water mazes in both humans and animal subjects. This means that male hormones help significantly the spatial ability not just in humans, but in animals also.
In the experiment that was done above, it can be compare how males have an upper hand against females due to the use of more male hormones that enhances the use of the left hippocampus and the cerebral cortex, meaning that males have a better knowledge on how to move the table, where is it located in space and how much space does it need to move and making it easier for males to complete the test with less mistakes.
With the experiment that was done, it can be said that the hypothesis and the initial idea was achieved and came out as planned. All the research done points out how males have better spatial abilities and deeper space analysis when it comes to navigate than females, and the research given enhances more the results and proves them right.
Conclusion
To conclude with this experiment, it can be said that males have a better visuospatial abilities thanks to a better use of the cerebral cortex and the left hippocampus that control and analyze the 3D space a human is immersed in. This developed sense of space, is improved by male hormones such as testosterone and androgens. Males have a 0.02% less margin of error than females when it came to the experiment done before. This proves the hypothesis right, meaning that males are actually better when navigating, estimating and moving in a 3D space.
References
Bailey, R. (2014). Learn About the Anatomy of the Brain. [online] About. Available at: http://biology.about.com/od/anatomy/p/cerebral-cortex.htm [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Bbc.co.uk, (2014).
BBC - Science & Nature - Sex ID - Spatial Abilities. [online] Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/articles/spatial_tests.shtml [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Halpern, D. (2004). A Cognitive-Process Taxonomy for Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities. Current Directions in Psychological Science, [online] 13(4), pp.135-139. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.00292.x [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Hausmann, M., Slabbekoorn, D., Van Goozen, S., Cohen-Kettenis, P. and Güntürkün, O. (2000). Sex hormones affect spatial abilities during the menstrual cycle. Behavioral Neuroscience, [online] 114(6), pp.1245-1250. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0735-7044.114.6.1245 [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Imperato-McGlnley, J., Plchardo, M., Gautier, T., Voyer, D. and Bryden, M. (1991). Cognitive abilities in androgen-insensitive subjects: comparison with control males and females from the same kindred. Clinical Endocrinology, [online] 34(5), pp.341-347. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2265.1991.tb00303.x [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].
Sciencedirect.com, (2014). Sex Differences in Cerebral Processing of Visuospatial Tasks. [online] Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010945273800097 [Accessed 7 Oct.
2014].
Webmd.com, (2014). How Male and Female Brains Differ. [online] Available at: http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/how-male-female-brains-differ?page=3 [Accessed 7 Oct. 2014].