- Map reading and parking may prove difficult for some
women because they were exposed to too little testosterone in the womb,
researchers suggest.
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- The study, in the journal Intelligence, fuels the age-old
male myth that women are deficient in these skills.
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- Scientists from the University of Giessen, Germany, found
a lack of the hormone affects spatial ability.
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- Low testosterone levels are also linked to shorter wedding
ring fingers, they say.
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- The research looked at the spatial, numerical and verbal
skills of 40 student volunteers.
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- Spatial skill is the ability to assess and orientate
shapes and spaces. Map reading and parking are spatial skills which men
often say women lack. Women tend to disagree.
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- The researchers also looked at the length of the students'
wedding and index fingers.
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- In women, the two fingers are usually almost equal in
length, as measured from the crease nearest the palm to the fingertip.
In men, the ring finger tends to be much longer than the index.
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- For one of the spatial tests, volunteers had to tell
which of five drawings could not be rotated so it looked like the other
four.
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- The other test involved the ability to think in 3D by
mentally "unfolding" a complex shape.
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- Overall, men achieved higher scores in the tests than
women.
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- But women with the male pattern of finger length did
better than those whose wedding finger was shorter.
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- They also scored better on the numerical tests.
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- Fertility
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- Writing in Intelligence, the researchers, led by Dr Petra
Kempel, said women who had 'male-like' finger length ratio patterns outperformed
other women.
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- They added that the differences seen within the group
studied were "remarkable."
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- However, the researchers accept that their study was
limited because only one saliva sample was taken from each person, and
no detailed account was taken of women's menstrual cycle, which can affect
hormone balance.
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- Other studies looking at finger length ratio have suggested
that, in men a long ring finger and symmetrical hands are an indication
of fertility, and that women are more likely to be fertile if they have
a longer index finger.
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- Another study controversially suggested that finger length
ratio could also be linked to sexual orientation, with lesbian women having
a greater difference in length between their ring finger and index finger
than straight women do.
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- Dr Nick Neave, an evolutionary psychologist at the University
of Northumbria who specialises in spatial awareness and gender differences.
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- He said: "Being exposed to testosterone early on
does seem to affect the way the brain works.
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- "It seems to push it to work in a more masculine
way, with a stronger right hemisphere; the spatial hemisphere.
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- "The extra testosterone also appears to cause the
ring finger to be longer than the index."
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- Bones contain testosterone receptors, and Dr Neave said
the fourth finger appeared to be particularly receptive to levels of the
hormone.
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- Higher levels are linked the ring finger being longer
than the index.
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- Dr Neave, a member of the British Psychological Society,
added: "The sexes do use different skills to find their way around.
Men seem to be able to keep the route in their head without landmarks,
whereas women do use them.
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- "So men may be better at finding the car when its
parked in a huge shopping centre car-park. It may also tap into driving
and parking abilities."
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- He added: "Men do seem to be better at spatial abilities,
and women at verbal and emotional skills.
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- "It may be a generalisation, but that does seem
to be the case."
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- © BBC MMV
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- http://news.bbc.co.uk
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