Male–female differences in predicting displaced volume: Strategy usage, aptitude relationships, and experience influences.

Investigated the role of aptitudes and experiences in gender differences in scientific reasoning by using the Predicting Displaced Volume (PDV), a scientific reasoning task known to be solved by males more frequently than females. 778 7th–11th graders were administered the PDV in groups. Of the Ss, 90% consistently used 1 of 4 expectation-based strategies to solve the problems. Males used the correct strategy more frequently than females; males and females both used the same incorrect strategies. It was found that gender differences in PDV did not reflect gender differences in spatial ability, field dependence–independence (FDI), or Piagetian formal reasoning. In addition, gender differences in PDV were not accounted for by science and math course-taking experience. Factors such as spatial ability and FDI may correlate highly with scientific reasoning task performance but may not account for gender-related differences in that performance. (51 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)