Gender-related wayfinding time of mall shoppers

The relative superiority of males over females with respect to wayfinding performance in real life is not clearly established in the literature. The present study aims at clarifying the issue in the specific case of wayfinding in shopping malls environment. An experimental study using actual shoppers in a mall showed that the relationship between gender and time necessary to find a store within a mall is mediated by both shopping values and the use of information sources. Compared to male shoppers, female shoppers were found to be more hedonist and use people as a source of information, which in turn was instrumental in reducing wayfinding time.