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Women On Road To Nowhere (Study Finds Women Can't Read Maps)
Canada.com ^ | today | some dude

Posted on 08/07/2002 8:06:38 PM PDT by Rodney King

Women on road to nowhere, study finds

Map reading is probably the main source of conflict between couples while driving. But the assertion that women are incapable of reading a map correctly has, unfortunately for the female sex, been backed up by several studies on spatial ability.

Men have used this convenient theory of the female lack of spatial judgment to criticize anything from a woman's ability to reverse into a parking space, to berating her when she fails to differentiate north from south while reading a map.

But now, it seems, the idea that women are wandering around in a kind of spatial vacuum -- where successful navigation is more down to luck than planning -- is only half the story.

While it is true that men find the instructions on a map easier to follow, women do far better when following a verbal set of directions, using landmarks to help them.

Psychologist Deborah Saucier, of the University of Saskatchewan, decided to re-examine the assumption that men are superior to women in their ability to navigate.

"Research into the field of spatial ability time and again concludes that men are superior," she says. "You get the impression that, for most of the time, women are wandering around lost, which is clearly not the case."

Saucier set up a simple experiment using male and female students, assigning them two different ways of getting from one point to another. One set of directions followed the classic Euclidian method employed by map designers, based on compass directions and distances, such as "walk north for 400 metres, then turn east."

The second set used landmarks, such as "carry on until you get to the large oak tree, then turn left and walk until you get to a house with a yellow door."

Having assigned men and women to both sets of instructions, she set the timer and waited at the destination. Her results will vindicate women who say that while they may not be able to read maps as well as men, they can find their way using landmarks.


TOPICS: Canada; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: finallyproof; womencantdrive
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As if this is news.
1 posted on 08/07/2002 8:06:38 PM PDT by Rodney King
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To: Rodney King
What bunk! I can read maps. I can read nautical charts. I'm the navigator.

And we don't get lost.

2 posted on 08/07/2002 8:09:06 PM PDT by Catspaw
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To: Rodney King
Yeah, well, this still doesn't get most men off the hook for refusing to ask for directions. ;)
3 posted on 08/07/2002 8:10:55 PM PDT by demnomo
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To: Rodney King
True. I can get so lost reading maps, but give me landmarks, and I am there...
4 posted on 08/07/2002 8:11:06 PM PDT by Utah Girl
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To: Rodney King
Tell me about it.

This evening I actually witnessed a woman customer asking a woman cashier directions. I listened too.

The poor customer woman is probably still driving around in circles.
5 posted on 08/07/2002 8:11:58 PM PDT by Fred Mertz
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To: Rodney King
Women can't read maps - and real men don't need maps.
6 posted on 08/07/2002 8:11:58 PM PDT by Ford Fairlane
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To: Catspaw
What bunk! I can read maps. I can read nautical charts. I'm the navigator.

OK, for the next study we show that women can't differentiate between an article about general trends in groups of people, and a statement about them personally.

7 posted on 08/07/2002 8:12:52 PM PDT by Nick Danger
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To: Rodney King; BRL
But the assertion that women are incapable of reading a map correctly has, unfortunately for the female sex, been backed up by several studies on spatial ability

my wife pick pocketed my loaded concealed weapon and is making me type this. "women may not be able to read maps, but men are incapable of asking for directions."

there, she's gone. hell, we'd ask for directions if the answer came in the form of a map!

8 posted on 08/07/2002 8:13:13 PM PDT by mlocher
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To: Ford Fairlane
Women should just let a guy drive to their destination and stop arguing when they're together in the car.
9 posted on 08/07/2002 8:13:44 PM PDT by goldstategop
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To: Rodney King
Hahaha! We've got all you fellas fooled. Females can most definitely read maps and navigate...it's just we are so used to telling you males that 3" is actually more like 8 or 9". ;-)
10 posted on 08/07/2002 8:13:46 PM PDT by Aracelis
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To: Fred Mertz
I swear I'm right about everything else but directions.
11 posted on 08/07/2002 8:13:56 PM PDT by LurkerNoMore!
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To: Rodney King
Theory confirmed.
12 posted on 08/07/2002 8:14:41 PM PDT by F16Fighter
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To: Rodney King
This is why I ordered the navigation system on my new car :)
13 posted on 08/07/2002 8:15:34 PM PDT by luckodeirish
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To: mlocher
Tell her to read, "Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus". It will explain everything.

And yes, before I read it, I thought it was a load. But the author is very, very good at explaining his views.

14 posted on 08/07/2002 8:15:44 PM PDT by Aracelis
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To: Fred Mertz
The poor customer woman is probably still driving around in circles.

i doubt it. i suspect that the customer got to exactly where she needed to be and even though to you the directions seemed inane, to another women the directions were perfect. instead of sorting through psycho-babble and trying to play guessing games, we men find it much easier and precise to read a map and NOT get a dose of hormones.

15 posted on 08/07/2002 8:15:50 PM PDT by mlocher
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To: Piltdown_Woman
"Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus".

how do i get to venus from mars? just draw a map.

16 posted on 08/07/2002 8:17:19 PM PDT by mlocher
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To: Ford Fairlane
Women can't read maps, but they ask for directions. Men just get lost
17 posted on 08/07/2002 8:17:53 PM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Nick Danger
Oh, so it's "general trends," huh? This is the title: "Women On Road To Nowhere (Study Finds Women Can't Read Maps)"

It doesn't say "some women." It says "women can't read maps." I'd say it's more like "sweeping generalizations."

BTW, there are few landmarks when one is out at sea. Does the person who did the study suggest I count waves to get us back to port, say, "look for a wave that has a big pointy thing at the top & follow that one?"

18 posted on 08/07/2002 8:18:12 PM PDT by Catspaw
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To: mlocher
No, dude, the cashier woman said go North on Highway 60. Highway 60 goes East and West.
19 posted on 08/07/2002 8:18:49 PM PDT by Fred Mertz
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To: mlocher
Actually, in his book the author tells a tale of lonely, disheartened Martian males looking for purpose and meaning in life - which they found after viewing the beautiful female Venusians through their telescopes. The Martians quickly built space ships to carry them to Venus, and the rest is herstory! LOL
20 posted on 08/07/2002 8:20:21 PM PDT by Aracelis
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