While the contrasting recreational habits of young boys and girls have a heavy impact on cognitive function there are a few reasons why men outperform females on spatial abilities. Studies have shown that there are differences in size between male and female brains. When completing tasks women use both sides of their brain while men only use the left side. Although males outperform females in spatial task abilities, females outperform males in linguistic tasks. In contrast, women s use of verbal strategies to process information and solve problems provides evidence that they are left brain hemisphere dependent.
Socialization also plays a large role in forming habitual academic performance.
At the beginning of their childhood through socialization young girls are taught to avoid risk taking and to play in a non-competitive fashion. In contrast, boys are taught to play in a competitive and dominant atmosphere. Girls play with dolls in small social groups that involve a lot of verbalizing while boys play in larger groups and like to engage in games that often have rules and not a great deal of talking. This evidence may give reasons why females disengage in further exploration in risk taking subjects such as math and science. Interaction grouping patterns are evident when gender groups segregate themselves from each other.