Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume 34, Issue 3 , Pages 389-401, April 2009

Interactive effects of sex hormones and gender stereotypes on cognitive sex differences—A psychobiosocial approach

  • Markus Hausmann

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, Durham University, United Kingdom
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author at: Department of Psychology, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom. Tel.: +44 191 3343286; fax: +44 191 3314377.
    • ,
  • Daniela Schoofs

      Affiliations

    • Department of Cognitive Psychology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
    • ,
  • Harriet E.S. Rosenthal

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, Durham University, United Kingdom
    • ,
  • Kirsten Jordan

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Georg-August University Göttingen, Germany

Received 20 March 2008; received in revised form 25 September 2008; accepted 26 September 2008.

Summary 

Biological and social factors have been shown to affect cognitive sex differences. For example, several studies have found that sex hormones have activating effects on sex-sensitive tasks. On the other hand, it has been shown that gender stereotypes can influence the cognitive performance of (gender-) stereotyped individuals. However, few studies have investigated the combined effects of both factors. The present study investigated the interaction between sex hormones and gender stereotypes within a psychobiosocial approach. One hundred and fourteen participants (59 women) performed a battery of sex-sensitive cognitive tasks, including mental rotation, verbal fluency, and perceptual speed. Saliva samples were taken immediately after cognitive testing. Levels of testosterone (T) were analysed using chemiluminescence immunoassay (LIA). To activate gender stereotypes, a questionnaire was applied to the experimental group that referred to the cognitive tasks used. The control group received an identical questionnaire but with a gender-neutral content. As expected, significant sex differences favouring males and females appeared for mental rotation and verbal fluency tasks, respectively. The results revealed no sex difference in perceptual speed. The male superiority in the Revised Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Tests (MRT-3D) was mainly driven by the stereotype-active group. No significant sex difference in MRT-3D appeared in the control group. The MRT-3D was also the task in which a strong gender-stereotype favouring males was present for both males and females. Interestingly, T levels of the stereotype-activated group were 60% higher than that of male controls. The results suggest that sex hormones mediate the effects of gender stereotypes on specific cognitive abilities.

Keywords: Cognitive sex differences, Gender stereotypes, Mental rotation, Perceptual speed, Stereotype threat, Testosterone, Verbal fluency

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PII: S0306-4530(08)00260-6

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2008.09.019

Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume 34, Issue 3 , Pages 389-401, April 2009

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