Gender Differences in Visuospatial Skills Performance: Assessment, Development, and Attitudes

• In Event: 34.063 - Art Education: Policies, Impacts, and Developments

Abstract

In spite of significant educational and propaganda efforts, women remain significantly underrepresented in science, engineering, and technology, partly due to (perceived) inferior spatial skills, one of the most persistent gender differences in the cognitive domain. These differences are already manifest at younger ages and lacking or ill-structured developmental programs often leave girls behind.
Through longitudinal, school-based skills surveys followed by curriculum innovation experiments, we found that gender differences observable at the beginning of the program can be diminished. Creative 3D modelling in real and virtual space are beneficial for male and female students and result in development of visuospatial information processing, problem solving and motivation for both groups. Art education is instrumental in closing the gender gap in STEM professions.

Authors

• Andrea Karpati, Eötvös Loránd University

• Bernadett Babály, Szent István University