This thesis examines how two different scientific fields, psychophysiology and sociology, conceptualize “information processes” – in the human brain on one hand, and in society on the other. The information process in human is represented by the orienting reflex with Eugene N. Sokolov as theoretic representative. In the field of sociology the information process is represented by social movements with Ron Eyerman och Andrew Jamison as theoretic representatives. The conclusion is that, although the raving ontological and epistemological differences between the scientific objects of the two fields, the conceptualizations of information process are theoretically isomorphic to one and other. This is contextualized in relation to broader processes of metaphoric cohesion through scientific and discursive practices in modernity, where material remodeling of reality gives impact to the spatial orientation from which basic concepts derive. The method used is called experimental isomorphological analysis, a method eclectically constructed on the foundation of George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, V.N Voloshinov, Michel Foucault and Jacques Lacan for the purpose of distinguishing structures of conceptualization in scientific theory.

Spatial ability has been studied in relation to education and gender previously, concluding that men outperform women in any field of study in spatial tasks and test batteries. For that reason, the present study aims to confirm such differences through a spatial orientation task and the Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale (SBSOD). The study was conducted online with 106 participants of which 58 were men and 44 women, distributed in two groups (STEM and No-STEM). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) and t-test concluded that overall men outperform women in both the task and the test, however, there is no difference between field of study. Further research should focus on the limitations of the present study, regarding the sample size and task design. / Spatial förmåga har tidigare studerats med avseende på både studieinriktning och kön, där slutsatsen har varit att män presterar bättre än kvinnor oavsett studieinriktning vid test av spatial förmåga. Av den anledningen riktar den här studien in sig på att styrka det sambandet med hjälp av en spatial orienteringsuppgift och Santa Barbara Sense of Direction Scale (SBSOD). Studien genomfördes online med 106 deltagare där 58 var män och 44 kvinnor, fördelade i två grupper baserat på studieinriktning (Naturvetenskaplig och icke- naturvetenskaplig). En variansanalys (ANOVA) och ett t-test gav resultatet att män generellt presterar bättre än kvinnor i både uppgiften och testet, men det finns däremot ingen skillnad mellan studieinriktningar. Ytterligare forskning bör fokusera på begränsningarna i denna studie, avseende antal deltagare och utformning av uppgiften.