Instructional Interventions for Reduction of Gender Differences in Learning

摘要

The objectives of the studies reported herein sought to refine and extend earlierresearch on gender-based spatial differences, focusing on the application of instructional interventions that can possibly reduce any gender differences. First, we attempted to replicate a study where one simple instructional intervention (i.e., heterogeneous discussion groups between training sessions) had been shown to improve females' spatial skills. Second, we tried to account for the remaining performance differences between males and females after the instructional intervention by measuring testosterone levels in saliva using a radioimmunoassay procedure. Third, we measured gender-based differences in performance on a complex spatial task under stress, and related these differences to testosterone level.