Views on our fields of vision
Q. Is it true that women have better peripheral vision than men?
A. Auckland University School of Optometry and Vision Science head Professor Steven Dakin says no, it’s not.
‘‘There is no substantial evidence for such a difference,’’ he says.
‘‘Our peripheral, or low resolution, vision is used to guide our eye movements so that points of interest fall in our highresolution central vision. Our vision has evolved to guide our behaviour and so improve our chances of survival. Logically I can see no reason why pressures to successfully, example, detect a predator in the periphery would disproportionately bear on one sex over the other. In terms of the literature there is the odd paper here or there reporting modest differences but nothing systematic.’’
In fact, as far as Dakin is concerned, there is no marked difference between how men and women see the world.
‘‘Your visual field is a little over 180 degrees and the only way you’re improving that is by shifting the eyes.
‘‘There is some evidence for a modest advantage for women matching colours. This is likely related to genetic differences. Peripheral vision is interesting, sex differences aren’t – most of what you see on the internet on this is BS.’’ – Ged Cann
Women in science scholarship
Organisers behind a fundraising idea that sold out in Auckland and Christchurch hope the idea can be replicated in Wellington and other university cities.
Special screenings of the Oscarnominated film, Hidden Figures, held in Auckland recently and in Christchurch today, have raised about $16,000 towards an undergraduate scholarship to cover the fees for a woman based in New Zealand to study the physical or mathematical sciences or engineering at a New Zealand tertiary institution from 2018.
Criteria for the scholarship are still being drawn up, but Christchurch organiser Dr Victoria Metcalf, whose day job is in the Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Adviser, said the scholarship would support the ‘‘educational aspirations of people from communities currently under-represented in science and technology.
‘‘There’s a real need for positive change,’’ she says. Hidden Figures is a biopic about female Africanamerican mathematicians at Nasa in the early 1960s. – Will Harvie