Sex Differences and Stereotypes: Are Men Better Than Women in Navigation?

In some areas, men are better than women, and many believe navigation is among them. However, evolution may have nothing to do with it.

Are Men Better Than Women in Navigation?

The most "widely documented" sex difference is men's advantage in navigation. This is evident in the number of male drivers worldwide.

The extent of the area an animal travels for everyday activities is referred to as its home range, and one study stated that this has only been explained thus far as an evolutionary reaction to "sex differences in home range size."

Scientists from the University of Illinois and other institutions examined the differences between the sexes in "home range size and spatial ability" in 21 different animals, including humans, to see if evolution plays a role in navigation between the two sexes.

The European rabbit, the rat, the chimpanzees, the diablito poison frog, the Asian small-clawed otter, and humans were among the species involved. The researchers found that the evidence for sex differences was weak.

"Over the past half-century, significant resources have gone into testing the sex-specific adaptation hypothesis as an explanation for sex differences in navigation abilities," the authors wrote in the study. "In a previous meta-analysis, we found the evidence was weak, and in this paper with an expanded dataset, we again find little evidence supporting the sex-specific adaptation hypothesis."

The authors contend that males did not evolve to become more adept in navigation. Instead, they concluded that biological variables other than evolution may account for men's superior navigational skills, such as life experience. However, the authors emphasize that more research is required to explore this theory further.

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Why Men Are Better Drivers?

One previous report suggested that there was discrimination and unequal opportunities around the world between men and women, which may have contributed to men's enhanced navigational skills. One study claimed that men are better drivers because, on average, they have 5.1 crashes compared to women's 5.7 for every one million miles they drive.

Also, males are reportedly less distracted by cell phones. A Nielsen survey suggested that women talk on the phone 22 percent more than men each month, and a total of 14 hours and 16 minutes presumably happens while they are on the road.

Gut feeling is difficult to refute, even though research sometimes includes errors. Many surveys assessing the driving skills of the sexes have been undertaken. Just 29% of respondents to a recent study* by Canadian pollster Harris-Decima stated that women were not better drivers than males. This is a difference of 36% between men and women.

Curiously, just 25% of women believed their driving abilities were superior to men's, despite 48% of male respondents believing they were superior drivers.

Many women appear to voluntarily concur that men make better drivers, despite the claims of some that sexism is at blame and that men are overconfident in their abilities. Overall, there is a consensus between the two sexes that males are better drivers.

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