Think Again: Men and Women Share Cognitive Skills

This article examines the compendium of research on the topic of cognitive differences between the genders and discusses evidence from meta analytical studies [study of a compendium of results of previous studies]. As stated here,
"The sexes are more the same than they are different [according to the research of Janet Shibley Hyde of the University of Wisconsin]. In a 2005 report, Hyde compiled meta-analyses on sex differences not only in cognition but also communication style, social or personality variables, motor behaviors and moral reasoning. In half the studies, sex differences were small; in another third they were almost non-existent. Thus, 78 percent of gender differences are small or close to zero. What's more, most of the analyses addressed differences that were presumed to be reliable, as in math or verbal ability."


The article reports that in 2005, Harvard University's Elizabeth Spelke found that men's and women's abilities for math and science have a genetic basis in cognitive systems that emerge in early childhood but give men and women on the whole equal aptitude for math and science. Hyde found that the genders understood math concepts equally well, belying the notion of a fixed or biological differentiating factor. In a separate study, along with two colleagues, she found no evidence of substantial gender differences in any component of verbal processing.


The article, analysing what this research means, states that the genders are cognitively separate but equal, suggesting that social and cultural factors influence both perceived and actual performance differences. These factors may influence beliefs, hence performance, on tests and in classes, as well as in career choices. In later experiments, it was found that even the mention of gender differences in a benign context was perceived as the "stereotype threat," and had a possible influence on testing outcomes. In conclusion, the article advocates for changes in education and workplace assumptions about gender difference. Hyde and her colleagues advocate for the teaching of early problem-solving skills both in and out of math classes and express concern for individual and societal gender stereotyping related to cognitive abilities.