Gender differences in pointing accuracy in computer-simulated 3D mazes

Gender differences in pointing accuracy in computer-simulated mazes were studied as a function of maze complexity and training effects. College students (primarily White) were led through mazes with different numbers of turns,. at the end of each maze, they were asked to indicate the direction of the maze origin (starting point). Pointing accuracy declined with number of turns, but men were consistently more accurate than women by about 20 degrees regardless of mate complexity. Training participants to track the relative position of the maze origin while moving through the maze produced equivalent benefits in pointing accuracy for both women and men. Thus, although pointing accuracy of men remained higher than that of women, the results suggest that pointing performance can be modified by experience.