Boys Show Advantage Over Girls in Spatial Skills Based on Cultural Influences

According to a study of 547 urban second- and third-graders, boys had an advantage over girls in spatial skills when they were associated with cultural influences like sports and parenting styles promoting certain types of play.

The study of 547 urban second- and third-graders revealed that boys tended to outperform girls in spatial skills. This advantage was observed when boys were exposed to cultural practices that emphasized activities such as sports and specific types of play. These cultural influences played a significant role in shaping the spatial abilities of boys compared to girls.

Final answer:

Boys showed an advantage over girls in spatial skills due to cultural influences like sports and parenting styles promoting certain types of play. However, given practice and equal opportunities, girls can achieve comparable spatial skills. Larger cultural and educational contexts emphasizing gender norms also contribute to these observed differences rather than inherent biological gender differences.

Explanation:

According to the study information provided, boys had an advantage over girls in spatial skills when they were associated with cultural practices such as styles of play and parenting styles. Factors like the encouragement of sports, which tend to be more common for boys, can enhance spatial skills. However, it's important to note that these tiny differences in cognitive abilities aren't necessarily rooted in biological sex differences.

For instance, when girls are given time to practice, they can achieve spatial skill levels equal to boys. Cross-cultural studies further show that in cultures where girls have greater freedom, like the Inuit, there are no differences in spatial abilities observed between genders, compared to cultures where girls have more restrictions.

In contrast, cultural expectations and educational practices often subtly convey to girls that they are less capable, which can impact their performance and interest in activities that promote spatial skills. Furthermore, despite the initial differences observed in certain studies, biological gender differences in cognitive abilities are very small, if they exist at all, as extensive research shows that 95 percent of the difference in spatial skills is due to other factors, not gender.