Stephan Pia, Jäschke Johannes P M, Oberzaucher Elisabeth, Grammer Karl
Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Evol Psychol. 2014 Sep 3;12(4):814-26. doi: 10.1177/147470491401200409.
Former research has examined potential human sex differences in spatial abilities or home range size. Both are assumed to have an adaptive function. In this study we combined the investigation of home range size in an urban environment and spatial abilities by accuracy analysis of cognitive maps. Participants (n = 87) drew a sketch of their home range in Vienna depicting all places regularly visited in every-day life. We used the sketches' geographical locations to calculate the size of the home range. With the Geometric Morphometric Methodology, we quantified the accuracy of cognitive maps by measuring Euclidean distances between corresponding landmarks in the sketches and the geographical maps of home ranges. Our results showed a non-significant trend for men to have a larger home range. Overall, participants' cognitive maps were fairly accurate. However, men sketched their home range more precisely than women. Female map accuracy increased as a function of residency duration. In addition, accuracy of cognitive maps was influenced by home range size and number of frequently visited places. In summary, findings indicate that sex differences in home range size and spatial abilities may still persist in humans living in urbanized Western societies, but are also influenced by environmental experience.
以往的研究探讨了人类在空间能力或活动范围大小方面可能存在的性别差异。这两者都被认为具有适应功能。在本研究中，我们通过对认知地图的准确性分析，将城市环境中的活动范围大小调查与空间能力研究结合起来。参与者（n = 87）绘制了他们在维也纳的活动范围草图，描绘了日常生活中经常去的所有地方。我们利用草图的地理位置来计算活动范围的大小。通过几何形态测量方法，我们通过测量草图中相应地标与活动范围地理地图之间的欧几里得距离来量化认知地图的准确性。我们的结果显示，男性的活动范围有略大的趋势，但不显著。总体而言，参与者的认知地图相当准确。然而，男性绘制的活动范围草图比女性更精确。女性地图的准确性随着居住时间的增加而提高。此外，认知地图的准确性受到活动范围大小和经常访问地点数量的影响。总之，研究结果表明，在城市化的西方社会中生活的人类，活动范围大小和空间能力方面的性别差异可能仍然存在，但也受到环境体验的影响。
