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Gender Differences in Human Cognition
For years, both psychologists and the general public have been fascinated with the notion that there are gender differences in cognitive abilities; even now, flashy cover stories exploiting this idea dominate major news magazines, while research focuses on differences in verbal, mathematical, spatial, and scientific abilities across gender. This new volume in the Counterpoints series not only summarizes and addresses the validity (or invalidity) of such research, but also questions its ideology and consequences. Why do we search so intently for these differences? And what are the social and cultural implications of this relentless emphasis? Do biological mechanisms, in fact, contribute to the male-female differences in cognition? These are just a few of the questions generated by this controversial topic as it is debated throughout the book.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
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September 3, 2024
FIVE ESSAYS ON VARIOUS ISSUES ABOUT COGNITIVE GENDER DIFFERENCES
Editor J.T.E. Richardson wrote in the Preface to this 1997 book, "This contribution to the Counterpoints series is concerned with the issue of whether women and men differ in terms of their intellectual abilities. Women are sometimes said to outperform men in verbal ability, and men are sometimes said to outperform women in mathematical and spatial ability. Are these assertions true? If so, where should one look for the origins of these differences? In the biological makeup of women and men? In influences during childhood? Or in cultural stereotypes? Yet, if these assertions are not true, why do people continue to make them?" (Pg. v) The book contains five essays (two by Richardson).
Richardson notes in his first article, "First, it is very important to clarify the distinction between `sex differences' and `gender differences.' `Sex' marks an essentially biological distinction between women and men that may be based upon their anatomical, physiological, or chromosomal properties. `Gender' marks a sociocultural distinction between men and women on the basis of the traits and behavior regarded as characteristic of and appropriate to the two groups of people... In most psychological research... it is appropriate to talk of `gender differences' rather than 'sex differences,' because the participants are categorized on the basis of their outward appearance and behavior, not on the basis of biological characteristics." (Pg. 7)
Another essayist states, "if we assume that there actually has been a narrowing of the gender difference in cognitive abilities, which gender has been changing? For instance, in the case of mathematics performance, is it the result of an increase in the performance of females or a decline in the performance of males, or perhaps both? Conversely, in the case of verbal ability, is it the result of an increase in the performance of males or a decline in the performance of females?... In conclusion, meta-analysis does not allow us to make definitive statements about the reality or the causes of any findings of declining gender differences in abilities." (Pg. 43)
Another says, "it is clear that, just as with mathematical and spatial abilities, a person's performance on many of the tests that are said to tap these abilities can be enhanced or impeded by a host of factors that no one would consider to be essentially verbal. As with other kinds of abilities, there has never been a consensus of what verbal abilities are... None of these definitional problems would matter as much if all of the above tests yielded the same result or at least the same pattern of results, but that is not the case. Females do not produce consistently higher scores on all of the tests that have been called 'verbal.'" (Pg. 71-72)
Another points out, "the single biggest influence upon mathematics performance is the number of mathematics courses previously taken... The mathematics performance of girls and boys diverges only in high school, when girls begin taking fewer mathematics courses. When course-taking is controlled, the sex differences nearly disappear... Even when they are taking the same courses, however, boys and girls experience different worlds in the classroom. We noted earlier that there is evidence for differential treatment of boys and girls, and this extends to courses in mathematics... The effect of gender was compounded with that of race in determining which students received their teachers' attention." (Pg. 105)
Not a "popular overview" of the subject, these detailed technical articles will be of considerable interest to persons making a serious study of this subject.
Editor J.T.E. Richardson wrote in the Preface to this 1997 book, "This contribution to the Counterpoints series is concerned with the issue of whether women and men differ in terms of their intellectual abilities. Women are sometimes said to outperform men in verbal ability, and men are sometimes said to outperform women in mathematical and spatial ability. Are these assertions true? If so, where should one look for the origins of these differences? In the biological makeup of women and men? In influences during childhood? Or in cultural stereotypes? Yet, if these assertions are not true, why do people continue to make them?" (Pg. v) The book contains five essays (two by Richardson).
Richardson notes in his first article, "First, it is very important to clarify the distinction between `sex differences' and `gender differences.' `Sex' marks an essentially biological distinction between women and men that may be based upon their anatomical, physiological, or chromosomal properties. `Gender' marks a sociocultural distinction between men and women on the basis of the traits and behavior regarded as characteristic of and appropriate to the two groups of people... In most psychological research... it is appropriate to talk of `gender differences' rather than 'sex differences,' because the participants are categorized on the basis of their outward appearance and behavior, not on the basis of biological characteristics." (Pg. 7)
Another essayist states, "if we assume that there actually has been a narrowing of the gender difference in cognitive abilities, which gender has been changing? For instance, in the case of mathematics performance, is it the result of an increase in the performance of females or a decline in the performance of males, or perhaps both? Conversely, in the case of verbal ability, is it the result of an increase in the performance of males or a decline in the performance of females?... In conclusion, meta-analysis does not allow us to make definitive statements about the reality or the causes of any findings of declining gender differences in abilities." (Pg. 43)
Another says, "it is clear that, just as with mathematical and spatial abilities, a person's performance on many of the tests that are said to tap these abilities can be enhanced or impeded by a host of factors that no one would consider to be essentially verbal. As with other kinds of abilities, there has never been a consensus of what verbal abilities are... None of these definitional problems would matter as much if all of the above tests yielded the same result or at least the same pattern of results, but that is not the case. Females do not produce consistently higher scores on all of the tests that have been called 'verbal.'" (Pg. 71-72)
Another points out, "the single biggest influence upon mathematics performance is the number of mathematics courses previously taken... The mathematics performance of girls and boys diverges only in high school, when girls begin taking fewer mathematics courses. When course-taking is controlled, the sex differences nearly disappear... Even when they are taking the same courses, however, boys and girls experience different worlds in the classroom. We noted earlier that there is evidence for differential treatment of boys and girls, and this extends to courses in mathematics... The effect of gender was compounded with that of race in determining which students received their teachers' attention." (Pg. 105)
Not a "popular overview" of the subject, these detailed technical articles will be of considerable interest to persons making a serious study of this subject.
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