From the archive: ‘Durable and generalized effects of spatial experience on mental rotation: Gender differences in growth patterns’ by M. S. Terlecki, N. S. Newcombe, & M. Little (2008). Applied Cognitive Psychology , 22 , 996–1013 with commentary

Among the many excellent papers that I accepted for publication, Terlecki, et al. was one of the best. In exploring gender differences in spatial cognition, Terlecki et al. presented a methodologically and analytically rigorous study that provides both theoretical and applied insights. Findings suggest that even if the often observed gender differences in spatial ability—in which men outperform women—are biologically based, experience with spatial tasks leads to notable improvements among both men and women. The results have practical importance: women who report the most impoverished history of spatial experience are those for whom exposure to spatial tasks has the least impact initially, but additional exposure eventually produces the most rapidly improving results. Hence, one should not give up on training too easily; early discouraging performance is not predictive of eventual outcome, as long as the training persists. These results suggest viewing any genetic contributions to differences as calling for enriching, and not depressing, the environments of those who are most affected.