A sex difference in mental rotation in young infants: Research report

Paul C. Quinn; Lynn S. Liben

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02201.x

A sex difference in mental rotation in young infants: Research report

Paul C. Quinn, Lynn S. Liben

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

189 Scopus citations

Abstract

Three- to 4-month-old female and male human infants were administered a two-dimensional mental-rotation task similar to those given to older children and adults. Infants were familiarized with the number 1 (or its mirror image) in seven different rotations between 0° and 360°, and then preference-tested with a novel rotation of the familiar stimulus paired with its mirror image. Male infants displayed a novelty preference for the mirror-image stimulus over the novel rotation of the familiar stimulus, whereas females divided attention between the two test stimuli. The results point toward an early emergence of a sex difference in mental rotation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1067-1070
Number of pages	4
Journal	Psychological Science
Volume	19
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02201.x
State	Published - Nov 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

General Psychology

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10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02201.x

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title = "A sex difference in mental rotation in young infants: Research report",

abstract = "Three- to 4-month-old female and male human infants were administered a two-dimensional mental-rotation task similar to those given to older children and adults. Infants were familiarized with the number 1 (or its mirror image) in seven different rotations between 0° and 360°, and then preference-tested with a novel rotation of the familiar stimulus paired with its mirror image. Male infants displayed a novelty preference for the mirror-image stimulus over the novel rotation of the familiar stimulus, whereas females divided attention between the two test stimuli. The results point toward an early emergence of a sex difference in mental rotation.",

author = "Quinn, {Paul C.} and Liben, {Lynn S.}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported by National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Grants HD-42451 and HD-46526. We thank Julie G. Johnson for help developing the project, Laurie A. Yarzab for assistance testing participants, and Nora Newcombe and an anonymous reviewer for comments.",

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N2 - Three- to 4-month-old female and male human infants were administered a two-dimensional mental-rotation task similar to those given to older children and adults. Infants were familiarized with the number 1 (or its mirror image) in seven different rotations between 0° and 360°, and then preference-tested with a novel rotation of the familiar stimulus paired with its mirror image. Male infants displayed a novelty preference for the mirror-image stimulus over the novel rotation of the familiar stimulus, whereas females divided attention between the two test stimuli. The results point toward an early emergence of a sex difference in mental rotation.

AB - Three- to 4-month-old female and male human infants were administered a two-dimensional mental-rotation task similar to those given to older children and adults. Infants were familiarized with the number 1 (or its mirror image) in seven different rotations between 0° and 360°, and then preference-tested with a novel rotation of the familiar stimulus paired with its mirror image. Male infants displayed a novelty preference for the mirror-image stimulus over the novel rotation of the familiar stimulus, whereas females divided attention between the two test stimuli. The results point toward an early emergence of a sex difference in mental rotation.

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A sex difference in mental rotation in young infants: Research report

Abstract

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