Negligible sex differences in the relation of cognitive and psychomotor abilities

Comparisons of cognitive and psychomotor aptitude factor structure were made for samples of men and women. The factor model was previously confirmed. It included two higher-order factors representing general cognitive ability (g) and psychomotor/technical knowledge (PM/TK) as well as 10 lower-order cognitive and psychomotor factors. All cognitive and psychomotor tests contributed to the factor representing g. The PM/TK factor was interpreted as representing Vernonʹs (1969) practical factor (k:m). The model showed acceptable fit for both sexes. The proportion of total and common variance accounted for by the higher-order factors and lower-order factors were similar for men and women. Confirmatory factor techniques that imposed statistical constraints tested if the factor loadings were the same for both groups. Although some of the differences in loadings were statistically significant, they were small in magnitude (0.05 or less). The most notable differences occurred for the loadings of two technical knowledge tests on g and for a single psychomotor tests on PM/TK. All three tests had higher loadings for men than for women. Correlations between factor loadings for men and women approached r = 1.0. These results are consistent with previous research supporting the near identity of ability structure for men and women.