Use of landmarks in cognitive mapping: Gender differences in self report versus performance

Gender differences were examined among 160 college students in the self report of spatial abilities as well as performance on two spatial tasks, the mental rotations test and a cognitive mapping task. Subjects were asked to view a brief videotape of the interior of a three bedroom, one level home and to draw a sketch map of the floor plan of the home. Presence or absence of landmarks was manipulated by having half the participants view a three minute video tour of a furnished home, while the other half viewed a video tour of the same home unfurnished. Results revealed a gender difference, favoring men, for the mental rotation test, but no gender difference in the cognitive mapping task. Overall, subjects in the landmarks present condition (furnished home) drew more accurate floor plans than did those in the minimal landmarks condition (unfurnished home). Though men and women performed equally well on the cognitive mapping task, women reported less confidence in the accuracy of their floor plans.