Sex differences in clerical speed: perceptual speed versus comparison and decision speed

The hypothesis that sex differences in clerical speed are based on differences in perceptual speed was tested in an experiment using tachistoscopic presentation of pairs of items requiring same-different judgments. This procedure eliminated the attentional shifts from item to item as well as the repetitive nature of the task. 10 females still were significantly faster than 10 males. Also no significant sex differences were found in an additional visual search task requiring rapid recognition and shifts in attention. Results were interpreted in terms of sex differences in comparison and decision time as opposed to perceptual speed.