It really depends on the individual, hard and fast rules about gender and hearing acuity are not truly "hard and fast". For instance, no female in my family or any girlfriend I have had can hear with the acuity that I can....and I'm male. I've met nobody who has been so annoyed by TV or fluorescent light squeal as I have, to the point of having to leave some stores.
But I have to say in blind tests I have not been able to tell which direction cables are hooked up when I have someone else do the switching (or non-switching).
Audiophiles should read about placebo effect, expectation bias, but of course most audiophiles will be the first to reject such notions, proven as they are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimenter%27s_bias
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/the-power-of-suggestion-what-we-expect-influences-our-behavior-for-better-or-worse.html
In many ways, this belief always reminded me of audio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing
Keep in mind that this is coming from an audio guy who has been in it for his entire life since 12 years old and who owns a warehouse full of audio gear including hundreds of sets of high end cables. In other words, I'm a big believer in small differences making a big difference. But I've also watched many folks fool themselves and make the wrong pick time and time again, when they swore in advance that they could identify something, when I am the one to make the changes (or not) in what they are listening to.
But I have to say in blind tests I have not been able to tell which direction cables are hooked up when I have someone else do the switching (or non-switching).
Audiophiles should read about placebo effect, expectation bias, but of course most audiophiles will be the first to reject such notions, proven as they are.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimenter%27s_bias
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/the-power-of-suggestion-what-we-expect-influences-our-behavior-for-better-or-worse.html
In many ways, this belief always reminded me of audio:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowsing
Keep in mind that this is coming from an audio guy who has been in it for his entire life since 12 years old and who owns a warehouse full of audio gear including hundreds of sets of high end cables. In other words, I'm a big believer in small differences making a big difference. But I've also watched many folks fool themselves and make the wrong pick time and time again, when they swore in advance that they could identify something, when I am the one to make the changes (or not) in what they are listening to.