Sex differences in the Simon task help to interpret sex differences in selective attention

Stoet, G. (2017) Sex differences in the Simon task help to interpret sex differences in selective attention. Psychological Research, 81(3), pp. 571-581. (doi: 10.1007/s00426-016-0763-4) (PMID:26957425) (PMCID:PMC5397428)

[img]
Preview
Text
117650.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

661kB

Abstract

In the last decade, a number of studies have reported sex differences in selective attention, but a unified explanation for these effects is still missing. This study aims to better understand these differences and put them in an evolutionary psychological context. 418 adult participants performed a computer-based Simon task, in which they responded to the direction of a left or right pointing arrow appearing left or right from a fixation point. Women were more strongly influenced by task-irrelevant spatial information than men (i.e., the Simon effect was larger in women, Cohen’s d = 0.39). Further, the analysis of sex differences in behavioral adjustment to errors revealed that women slow down more than men following mistakes (d = 0.53). Based on the combined results of previous studies and the current data, it is proposed that sex differences in selective attention are caused by underlying sex differences in core abilities, such as spatial or verbal cognition.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Stoet, Dr Gijsbert
Authors: Stoet, G.
College/School:College of Social Sciences > School of Education
Journal Name:Psychological Research
Publisher:Springer
ISSN:0340-0727
ISSN (Online):1430-2772
Published Online:08 March 2016
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 The Author(s)
First Published:First published in Psychological Research81(3):571–581
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons licence

University Staff: Request a correction | Enlighten Editors: Update this record