hrvatski

Differences in some stereotype psychomotor reactions between genders

Stimulus-response compatibility, such as dials and controls of an interface, are usually set according to the expectation of people, in which case one can talk about stereotypes. The reaction (task) time is usually shorter in a stereotype situation, than in non-stereotype. Although there are some differences in the efficiency between males and females in precision and pursuit tasks, some differences in time and/or errors could occur in a dial setting task, in stereotype and non-stereotype way. The aim of this investigation was to find out possible gender and stereotypes effects on some efficiency parameters in the task of setting up the dial, on a given target (number), on horizontal, vertical and semicircular scales. The task was computer generated, consisting of the three scales with numbers from –5 to +5 with zero in the middle of the scale. At pressing a key on the mouse, a number within the given range would appear above the scale. The subjects task was to position the dial, as quickly and as precisely as he could onto the given target number by moving the mouse left-right (horizontal and semicircular scales) or up-down (vertical scale). When the subject thought that the dial was exactly on the target he had to press the key on the mouse which marked the end of the task. Time between the two pressings was recorded as the task time (ms). The deviation from the target was taken as an error, expressed in pixels. Twenty subjects, (10 males and 10 females) performed the task 50 times on each of the three scales in stereotype and nonstereotype situations. In stereotype situations the stimulus (target number) and the reaction to it were compatible (the pointer moved as the mouse did), while a non-stereotype situation they were not (they moved in the opposite directions). Analysis of the results showed longer task times for non-stereotype situations, as well as for the vertical scale. The differences were also found between male and female subjects, where males had shorter task times than females in all non-stereotype situations and in stereotype situation for the vertical scale, only. Furthermore, task time was also shorter for the movement in the right direction then in the left, for males, while this difference was not found in females. The differences in errors between genders or scales were not found. There was, however, a significant increase in the magnitude of errors as the movement amplitude increased.

Movements; stereotype movements; errors; efficiency

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