Mythbusters take on gender issues

psionl0 said:
I don't ask for directions because verbal instructions are invariably long winded and confusing. Some people can take half an hour to tell you to travel in a straight line.
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Plus, once you make a wrong turn with directions, you're lost. In the pre-gps days, my rule was always "Stop at a gas station. Buy a map".
 
epepke said:
Yeah, but maybe women like to talk, and then if the instructions are wrong, they get to emit a half-hour screed about how some stupid man gave her bad directions. So there's no downside.
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No, most women prefer the verbal directions to reading an incomprehensible directory. In fact, from conversations I have heard (privately and on talk-back radio), the average woman can't believe that anybody would prefer to read a map than ask for directions. It must be an ego problem with men.
 
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CORed said:
Of course, if a bear rips open your tent in the middle of the night, identifying the species isn't all that easy, and is likely to be the least of your concerns.
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Actually it's very easy. Just climb a tree, if it climbs up after you, it's a black bear. If it pushes the tree over, it's a grizzy.
 
psionl0 said:
No, most women prefer the verbal directions to reading an incomprehensible directory. In fact, from conversations I have heard (privately and on talk-back radio), the average woman can't believe that anybody would prefer to read a map than ask for directions. It must be an ego problem with men.
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Reading a map is, generally speaking, more likely to be an accurate source of information than asking random passers-by. As a non-driver who has occasionally been asked for directions (mostly by men, sometimes even by truck drivers and you don't get much more manly than that...), I do my best to direct people but often realise belatedly that while I can go by the route I suggested, I'm a pedestrian...and the route won't work for a vehicle.

I don't think it's an ego problem to use accurate information rather than depend on the abilities and proclivities of strangers.
 
psionl0 said:
No, most women prefer the verbal directions to reading an incomprehensible directory. In fact, from conversations I have heard (privately and on talk-back radio), the average woman can't believe that anybody would prefer to read a map than ask for directions. It must be an ego problem with men.
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I've heard some men say that they won't ever get a voice GPS system because most of the units have a female voice, and they don't want a woman telling them which way to go.
 
epepke said:
I've heard some men say that they won't ever get a voice GPS system because most of the units have a female voice, and they don't want a woman telling them which way to go.
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My satnav has Yoda's voice.

A left turn, you must take.
At your destination, you have arrived.
 
Professor Yaffle said:
My satnav has Yoda's voice.

A left turn, you must take.
At your destination, you have arrived.
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Very nice. I hope it's sufficiently existential as well. Just don't close your eyes and pretend you're navigating by The Force.
 
Macgyver1968 said:
I didn't think it was a very good episode.
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They're usually not very good at testing psychological stuff, but this was a bit better than I expected.

However, the kinds of things they tested in this episode, would need a much much larger sample to have any statistical relevance.
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I thought the ingenious attempts at eliminating bias weren't too bad. They were certainly better than in most of those "Men And Women Are Different Raah Raah Raah" studies that make it into the papers. Their sample size also compares favourably to those. And like the better scientific studies, they found only marginal differences.

They should stick to blowing things up. :)
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'Splosions are boring.
 
I prefer maps myself. I just can't stand that gps stuff.

And asking directions is not something I've had to deal with. I really can't think of any time where I was lost and needed help.
 
I don't believe I have ever stopped to ask for directions. I use the nav system more for knowing exactly where I am, how far I have to go, what's around me, etc., rather than for directions. I like knowing precisely where I am when I'm driving.
 
Travis said:
I prefer maps myself. I just can't stand that gps stuff.

And asking directions is not something I've had to deal with. I really can't think of any time where I was lost and needed help.
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Taking my eldest daughter to college last fall, the gps unit directed me to drive straight through the Coors brewery. I showed the display to the guard at the security gate but he insisted I detour around the facility.
 
Resume said:
Taking my eldest daughter to college last fall, the gps unit directed me to drive straight through the Coors brewery. I showed the display to the guard at the security gate but he insisted I detour around the facility.
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Something similar actually happened on the show. A guy picked a route that led to some facility or another, and the gate guard asked them to leave. The navigator even asked the guard for directions, and the guard just said to leave.
 
psionl0 said:
No, most women prefer the verbal directions to reading an incomprehensible directory. In fact, from conversations I have heard (privately and on talk-back radio), the average woman can't believe that anybody would prefer to read a map than ask for directions. It must be an ego problem with men.
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I prefer a map to directions because I tend to get my information best in a visual manner, not an auditory one. I remember what I see, better than what I hear.
 
LTC8K6 said:
I don't believe I have ever stopped to ask for directions. I use the nav system more for knowing exactly where I am, how far I have to go, what's around me, etc., rather than for directions. I like knowing precisely where I am when I'm driving.
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Except it's annoying when the nav system screws up. I was driving to a wedding the other day and using the nav system on my phone (which normally works fine). The system said "Take exit for Rt 200", which I did, except it didn't tell me which direction to go on Rt 200. Not knowing where I was relative to where I wanted to be, it was a 50/50 choice. I chose wrong. Though it didn't help that as we approached the exit, and I realized my nav was not telling me the direction I needed to go, SO was unable to decipher the map on the phone to tell me which way the little blue line was going. :rolleyes:
 
Rasmus said:
Ah, damn. I missed that episode!
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It was about the time they did the skydiver/kid on the teeter-totter thing, and found out with the first test it was impossible, but kept on plugging away building stronger and stronger boards until they achieved propulsion.
They spent too much time investigating 3rd grade playground stories to keep my interest.
 
Earthborn said:
They're usually not very good at testing psychological stuff, but this was a bit better than I expected.

I thought the ingenious attempts at eliminating bias weren't too bad. They were certainly better than in most of those "Men And Women Are Different Raah Raah Raah" studies that make it into the papers. Their sample size also compares favourably to those. And like the better scientific studies, they found only marginal differences.

'Splosions are boring.
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Did they or would they investigate why the woman driver feels that by tailgating you on the freeway at 75 mph she'll make up the 10 minutes she's late for the nail appointment, that's 1 mile away?
 
LTC8K6 said:
I don't believe I have ever stopped to ask for directions. I use the nav system more for knowing exactly where I am, how far I have to go, what's around me, etc., rather than for directions. I like knowing precisely where I am when I'm driving.
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I've used Google Street Maps to get images of important points on a trip.. where to turn, what the signs will look like, which lane... to show others how to get someplace. Much better than a map.
 
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