The mental rotation of hand imagery: gender differences of the recognition behaviors / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the gender differences and the effect of three factors(the angle of rotation, left/right,palm/back) on hand mental rotation. Methods 40 healthy adults (20 males and 20 females, age; 18～26 years) were enrolled in this study. By simulation of human hand as picture stimuli,participants were instructed to decide as quickly as possible whether the stimulus was a left or right hand. The accuracy rate and reaction time of the behavior task were quantified. Results ① the subjects' reaction speed was far slower at 180° than 0°(P＜0.01). ②On judgment of 0° back picture,females were faster than males(left back males( 1033. 16 ±245.85) ms,females( 853.15 ± 142.79) ms,P=0.014; right back; males( 973.07 ±217.11) ms;,females (796.28 ±146.67 )ms, P = 0.016). And,the right hand was responded faster than left hand,with statistical significance (males; P = 0.028, females; P=0.038). ③The time of females in judging the 0° hand back ( left (853. 15 ± 142.79) ms,right (796. 27 ± 146. 67 ms) ) was shorter than palm(left ( 1002. 72 ± 227. 91) ms,right ( 986.06 ± 230. 03) ms), reached statistical significance ( both at P ＜ 0. 001). In contrast, males in judging the 180° pictures, the speed of reaction to back(left ( 1252. 70 ±269. 35) ms,right ( 1216. 68 ±293. 54 )ms) was slower than palm with statistical significance (left P ＜ 0. 01, right P = 0. 015). Conclusion The three factors (angle of rotation,left/right,and palm/back) all exert effect on the behavior of hand mental rotation. It really has gender difference on hand mental rotation. Females response faster than males.