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Area of Science:

  • Educational Psychology
  • Cognitive Science
  • STEM Education

Background:

  • Prior research indicates a male advantage in spatial skills and science achievement.
  • Gender disparities in STEM fields persist, necessitating investigation into contributing factors.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of spatial skills in explaining gender differences in science performance among eighth-grade students.
  • To determine if mental rotation ability mediates observed gender gaps in science test scores.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of eighth-grade students' science test scores (N=113 and N=73,245).
  • Assessment of mental rotation ability as a potential mediator.
  • Correlation analysis between science performance items and mental rotation.

Main Results:

  • Mental rotation ability was found to mediate gender differences in physical science and technology/engineering scores.
  • Larger gender disparities in science performance were observed on items with higher correlations to mental rotation.
  • Findings were consistent across two distinct student samples.

Conclusions:

  • Spatial skills, particularly mental rotation, play a significant role in gender differences in science achievement.
  • Spatial training interventions are recommended to mitigate gender gaps in science performance among school-aged children.
  • Addressing spatial skill development is crucial for promoting gender equity in STEM education.