Increasing cognitive demands during a cooperation-opposition game can reduce gender disparities on participation

Introduction: Physical Education contributes to the social construction of gender, particularly through activities with relational components, where participation is shaped by stereotypes and societal expectations. Gender differences in participation in traditional games and sports vary according to specific motor game characteristics, such as competitive structure, rules, and cognitive demands. Objective: Explore how cognitive demands within motor games affect gender differences in participation patterns. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was employed with 123 participants across three age groups (children, adolescents and young adults). Using ‘’Capture the Flag’’ as an experimental game, the study compared two game contexts: a traditional setup and a cognitively enriched variant that introduced dynamic, unpredictable elements to increase mental engagement. Gender-specific behaviors were analyzed through systematic observation, focusing on offensive and defensive roles. Results: In the traditional game, males more frequently adopted offensive roles while females tended to assume defensive positions, reflecting stereotypical participation patterns. However, as cognitive demands increased, these differences diminished, leading to more balanced participation. Age also moderated these effects, with older participants showing greater adaptability to cognitive challenges, consistent with the maturation of executive functions. Discussion: The influence of social constraints may be reduced when cognitive demands to achieve game goals are increased, leading to a balance in gender participation. Conclusions: The findings suggest that increasing cognitive demands in motor games can reduce gender-based participation disparities and incorporating cognitively engaging activities in physical education may foster more inclusive and equitable participation across genders.