TIMING OF PUBERTY AND SPATIAL ABILITY

这项研究旨在确定潜在的机制， 青春期延迟与高空间能力的相关性。 以来 男性比女性更晚进入青春期， 这项研究也与性别差异的原因有关 空间能力。 D. Waber（1977 a，B）提出，大脑 偏侧化在晚熟者中更为明显，这是 因为他们的空间能力更强。 另一种理论认为， 早熟者和晚熟者在个性和活动方面的差异 造成空间能力的差异。 该项目将涉及对男性和女性的纵向研究， 在13岁（八年级）和15岁（十年级）时再次学习。 将对其他受试者进行研究，以控制 重复测试，以及测试时间/队列效应。 脱落效应 也将被评估。 将测量五类变量： 青春期的时间（4项测量）认知能力（空间和语言，2 测量每个），偏侧化（对于空间和言语刺激，使用 2个速示任务）、个性（4项测量）和活动（3项 措施）。 还将评估利手性。 多元回归将是 用于评估替代因果假设。 的理解 个体差异和性别差异的决定因素 空间能力应该有助于决定如何最好地训练和培养 空间能力，这似乎有助于在各种重要的成功 职业，如数学和工程。

This research is directed to identifying the mechanism underlying the correlation of late timing of puberty with high spatial ability. Since males reach puberty later than females and also have higher spatial ability, this research is relevant also to the causes of sex differences in spatial ability. D. Waber (1977a, b) has proposed that brain lateralization is more pronounced in late maturers, and that this is the cause of their higher spatial ability. An alternative theory is that differences between early and late maturers in personality and activities causes the spatial ability difference. The project will involve a longitudinal study of males and females, studied at age 13 (eighth grade) and again at 15 (tenth grade). Additional subjects will be studied to control for possible effects of repeated testing, and for time of testing/cohort effects. Dropout effects will also be assessed. Five categories of variables will be measured: timing of puberty (4 measures) cognitive ability (spatial and verbal, 2 measures each), lateralization (for both spatial and verbal stimuli, using 2 tachistoscopic tasks), personality (4 measures) and activity (3 measures). Handedness will also be assessed. Multiple regression will be used to evaluate the alternative causal hypotheses. The understanding gained of the determinants of individual differences and sex differences in spatial ability should help in deciding how to best train and foster spatial ability, which seems to aid success in a variety of important occupations, such as mathematics and engineering.