Navigational Skills in Males Not Due to Evolution, Study Finds

Cultural factors and upbringing, rather than evolutionary advantages, likely contribute to males' superior navigational abilities.

Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have debunked the myth that men are naturally better at navigating than women due to evolutionary factors.
The study, which compared navigational abilities across 21 species, found that males generally outperformed females, but this was likely due to cultural differences and upbringing rather than evolution.
Boys are often encouraged to play outside more than girls, allowing them to develop their navigational skills from a young age.
Previous theories suggested that men's superior navigational skills were a result of their ancestral history as hunters, while women stayed closer to home as gatherers.
The researchers suggest that future studies should focus on the role of socialization and culture rather than evolutionary genetic factors.