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Masculine Play Boosts Mental Rotation Skills in Kids

10/6/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), researchers linked masculine play at age 3.5 to higher mental rotation at age 13.
The association held regardless of sex.
Mental rotation supports spatial visualization and relates to navigation and engineering tasks.
Karson T. F. Kung and Melissa Hines authored the study, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior.

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Story summary

Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), researchers linked masculine play at age 3.5 to higher mental rotation at age 13.
The association held regardless of sex.
Mental rotation supports spatial visualization and relates to navigation and engineering tasks.
Karson T. F. Kung and Melissa Hines authored the study, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior.