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Sex differences in Nintendo Wii performance as expected from hunter-gatherer selection
Isabelle D Cherney1, Jordan L Poss
1Department of Psychology, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178, USA. cherneyi@creighton.edu
Psychological Reports
|September 4, 2008
Summary
Men showed superior performance in hunting-related video games, aligning with the hunter-gatherer theory of cognitive sex differences. No significant differences were observed in gathering-related skill games between sexes.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Human Behavior
Background:
- The hunter-gatherer theory proposes that sex-based cognitive differences evolved from ancestral roles in hunting and gathering.
- Understanding these differences can provide insights into human evolution and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically test the hunter-gatherer theory of cognitive sex differences.
- To investigate whether specific cognitive skills associated with hunting and gathering show sex-based variations.
Main Methods:
- Participants (men and women) played four Wii video games.
- Two games simulated hunting skills: navigation and shooting.
- Two games simulated gathering skills: fine motor control and visual search.
Main Results:
- Men significantly outperformed women on the hunting simulation games (navigation and shooting).
- No significant sex differences were found in the gathering simulation games (fine motor and visual search).
Conclusions:
- The findings support the hunter-gatherer theory by demonstrating sex differences in skills presumed to be ancestral hunting adaptations.
- Cognitive skills related to gathering did not show sex-based differences in this study.
- Results contribute to the understanding of evolutionary psychology and cognitive sex differences.
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