The effect of educational levels and gender on students’ reasoning ability and mechanical aptitude

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of gender on reasoning ability and mechanical aptitude, considering disparities across different educational levels. The research involved 1,183 students aged 12 to 19 from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The independent variables were educational levels (junior high school, senior/vocational high school, and higher education) and gender (male and female), while reasoning ability and mechanical aptitude scores were the dependent variables. Data were collected through the Differential Aptitude Test's reasoning and mechanical sub-tests, which demonstrated high-reliability coefficients. Statistical analyses included ANOVA and independent t-tests. The findings show that gender significantly influences reasoning ability and mechanical aptitude, with male students outperforming females. However, no notable differences were observed between senior/vocational high school students and college/university students. This study contributes valuable insights to the existing literature on cognitive skills, particularly concerning the impact of gender and educational levels, which can inform educational strategies and career development initiatives.

Keywords: Educational level; gender; mechanical aptitude; reasoning ability; students