Spatial competencies are valid as the most prominent gender differences in view of cognitive abilities. Psychological and interdisciplinary games studies could prove a general malleability of spatial competencies. In addition, there are already studies proving technology-based training success by playing First-Person-Shooter games. Consequently, the question whether these gender-specific differences have physiological causes or are possibly caused by other factors has to be answered. Often brain-structural or hormonal specific features of both genders are pointed out to cause social distinctions between men and women. If, however, spatial competencies are improved by training and can minimize gender differences, then this contradicts the compulsive stamping presumed by the naturalism of sex-specific attributes. In this case the gender differences must be explained by an interaction of physical and social conditions. Furthermore studies show that gender independent individual spatial experiences are of great importance for the development of spatial competencies. Playing video games count to these experiences and are therefore ideal means to the training intervention.

The aim of this research project is to examine suitable technology-based training methods for spatial competencies on the basis of gesture-controlled sports games and to test the effectiveness of the training. It is expected that the sex-specific differences can be minimized in view of spatial competencies by the training by means of gesture-controlled sports games. A pilot study shows that investigation parameters must be adapted to reproduce successful interventions and to form an effective training.