Attention to Stimulus Presentation Mode as Related to Sex

This study examines attention to stimulus presentation mode (SPM) by children when subdivided by age and sex, and the interaction between these variables. Except for the crossover period, female and male subjects' responses to auditory and visual stimuli follow the same general pattern; younger subjects respond at a greater rate to visual stimuli. Additional research also shows that subjects' sex provides a significant interaction with age during the crossover period. Even though this study did not attempt to assign a cause to the crossover phenomena, there are several possibilities. The crossover ages are approximately those of puberty, so the possibility of maturational process exists. It is also possible that as reading level increases attention shifts to the visual mode, and the sex difference could be related to the earlier reading behavior of females. There could also be some sociocultural factors. (SW)