# Elusive Sources for Gender Differences in Spatial Ability: The Role of Personality, Spatial Interests, and Everyday Behaviours

## TL;DR

This study explores how personality traits, spatial interests, and everyday behaviors relate to spatial ability differences between adolescent boys and girls.

## Contribution

The study reveals gender-specific links between personality traits and spatial ability, suggesting these may contribute to gender differences.

## Key findings

- Males scored higher on spatial ability, spatial interests, and certain personality traits like machiavellianism and psychopathy.
- Females showed higher scores in agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism, which were linked to their spatial ability.
- Personality traits explained only a small amount of variance in spatial ability, indicating other factors are more influential.

## Abstract

After decades of research, gender differences in spatial abilities (SA) remain poorly understood. Among factors that may contribute to these differences are self-perceived SA, inclinations, everyday behaviour and interests in SA-related activities, and related personality characteristics. In order to understand these links, a multifactorial approach is needed.

This study explored the relationships among SA, spatial interests, and personality among adolescent boys and girls.

The study recruited 660 participants (mean age = 15.04, SD = 1.08; 48 females) from public schools. Participants contributed data on a battery of SA tests; 8 personality traits: Big Five and Dark Triad; as well as SA-related activities: spatial interests and school commute information (mode and time) as a proxy for everyday spatial behaviour.

Weak-to-moderate mean gender differences were observed: males scored higher on spatial ability, spatial interests, machiavellianism, and psychopathy; and females on agreeableness, openness to experience, and neuroticism. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed some gender differences in associations among personality traits and SA. In males, openness to experience and conscientiousness were significantly related to SA test performance. In females, openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness, and machiavellianism contributed to SA performance. Although spatially-related interests were linked to SA, they were not significantly predicted by personality traits. Everyday spatial behaviour showed no relationship with personality traits or SA.

The study replicated patterns of gender differences in spatial ability, spatial interests, and personality reported in previous literature. The results showed differential links between personality traits and spatial ability for males and females. However, the overall amount of variance explained in spatial ability was very small, suggesting that other factors are more prominent sources of gender differences in spatial ability.