Gender difference does not mean genetic difference: Externalizing improves performance in mental rotation

The fear of underperforming owing to stereotype threat affects women's performance in tasks such as mathematics, chess, and spatial reasoning. The present research considered mental rotation and explored effects on performance and on regulatory focus of instructions pointing to different explanations for gender differences. Two hundred and one participants were asked to perform the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) and were told that men perform better than women. Then they were divided into four sub-groups and provided with no additional information (control condition) or one of three explanations: (a) genetic factors, (b) widely-held stereotype, or (c) time limit. A decrease in performance was predicted for the genetic instruction and an increase for the two alternative explanations based on externalizing. Results showed that both women and men are harmed by the genetic explanation and relieved by both the stereotype and the time limit explanations. Explanations stressing genetics and time limit as factors affecting performance favor prevention focus.

► Instructions provided three explanations for women underscoring in mental rotation.
► Women performance decreased after a genetic explanation.
► An externalizing phenomena is the probable reason for this effect.
► Men were harmed by the genetic explanation to the same extent than women.
► Effects on the promotion vs. prevention regulatory focus were observed.