A new theory highlighted by The Telegraph
claims that blind panic may be the reason on why some male drivers
simply refuse to ask for directions, even if it means getting lost in
the process.
According to explorer and expert in "natural navigation" Tristan Gooley, women are more than happy to use all available resources to help them reach a goal, men will rigidly stick to a "system" even if it leads them astray. Gooley told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme:
According to explorer and expert in "natural navigation" Tristan Gooley, women are more than happy to use all available resources to help them reach a goal, men will rigidly stick to a "system" even if it leads them astray. Gooley told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme:
"I was testing the things that I taught people – the sun, the moon, the stars, the wind, the weather, plants, animals, all these sorts of things.
"I put this test in front of groups, and men would stick within the system I had taught whereas the women would quite often say, 'never mind all that, I can tell the lights are on in the house and nobody puts all the lights on at the start of the day'.
"I think women have less comfort with and faith in a system ... men like systems so they stay within the system even if it isn't working all the way.
This theory may explain why most men refuse to ask directions, since it would be admitting that their system was not working:"I put this test in front of groups, and men would stick within the system I had taught whereas the women would quite often say, 'never mind all that, I can tell the lights are on in the house and nobody puts all the lights on at the start of the day'.
"I think women have less comfort with and faith in a system ... men like systems so they stay within the system even if it isn't working all the way.
"If you admit a system doesn't work once, the fear creeps in that it doesn't work at all and so there is a panic. Men won't admit it, but that is my theory why men don't ask for directions."
