ROLES OF ACTIVATION AND INHIBITION IN SEX DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE ABILITIES

HYPOTHESIZES THAT KNOWN SEX DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE ABILITIES REFLECT SEX RELATED DIFFERENCES IN PHYSIOLOGY. FEMALES SURPASS MALES ON SIMPLE, OVERLEARNED, PERCEPTUAL-MOTOR TASKS. MALES EXCEL ON MORE COMPLEX TASKS REQUIRING AN INHIBITION OF IMMEDIATE RESPONSES TO OBVIOUS STIMULUS ATTRIBUTES IN FAVOR OF RESPONSES TO LESS OBVIOUS STIMULUS ATTRIBUTES. IT IS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THESE SEX DIFFERENCES REFLECT DIFFERENCES IN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ADRENERGIC ACTIVATING AND CHOLINERGIC INHIBITORY NEURAL PROCESSES, WHICH, IN TURN, ARE SENSITIVE TO THE SEX HORMONES, ANDROGENS AND ESTROGENS. STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF DRUG AND HORMONE ADMINISTRATIONS ON THESE BEHAVIORS, AND OF SEX HORMONES ON ADRENERGIC AND CHOLINERGIC NEUROTRANSMITTERS ARE EXAMINED. IMPLICATIONS FOR CROSSSECTIONAL CORRELATIVE ANALYSES OF COGNITIVE ORGANIZATION ARE DISCUSSED. (6 P. REF.)