So, you know how they say men are better with directions than women? Well, there’s this new study that claims to have figured out why.
Apparently, it’s not about evolution like some theories suggested, but it actually comes down to how different genders are raised.
The researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign found that boys’ experiences, like playing outdoors more often, actually enhance their navigational abilities compared to girls.
They even compared the way finding skills of different species, including rats, otters, chimpanzees, and us humans, and found that men were indeed better navigators.
But here’s an interesting twist – women were found to travel further than men.
While evolution was once thought to be a major factor, the researchers believe that cultural influences play a bigger role.
Co-author of the study Justin Rhodes, when speaking to the Daily Mail said that “It is pretty obvious to me that the human sex difference is a result of culture, and not evolution”.
But hey, this doesn’t mean women can’t overcome this gap.
“The fact that the trait in humans comes down to how you are raised, answers the question of how women can overcome this gap, It is just a matter of experience.”
It just means that experience and upbringing can make a difference. And who knows, with more research, we might uncover how brain function plays a role in all of this.
