Sex Differences in Line Judgment: Relation to Mathematics Preparation and Strategy Use

Abstract

This study explored visuospatial ability using a new group-administered task, the Judgment of Line Angle and Position-15 test (JLAP–15). We investigated how this task relates to the Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test and whether the sex difference in performance could be explained by the number of prior mathematics courses or strategy used. Undergraduates ( n = 86 men and 112 women) completed the two tests and reported their strategies. Men had higher scores than women on both tests ( d = 1.04 for JLAP–15 and 1.10 for the Vandenberg Mental Rotation Test), with a significant intertask correlation of .41. Regression analyses indicated that strategy type, number of mathematics courses completed, and sex were significant predictors of performance on the JLAP–15 but only accounted for 21% of the variance.