Gender Differences in Development PDF

Gender Differences in Development Developmental Psychology H. Moriah Sokolowski, PhD 1 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occ...

Gender Differences in Development Developmental Psychology H. Moriah Sokolowski, PhD 1 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 2 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 3 Sex and Gender What is the difference? 4 Sex vs. Gender 5 The Gender Continuums 6 The Gender Continuums 7 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 8 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 9 Gender Differences in Development 10 Gender Differences in Development 11 Cognition Where do we see gender differences? 12 Cognition: Intelligence ▰ An intelligence quotient (IQ) is a total score derived from a set of standardized tests or subtests designed to assess human intelligence. ▰ No significant gender differences in general intelligence ▰ We do see gender differences particular types of intelligence: ▻ Spatial Abilities ▻ Verbal Abilities Cognition: Spatial Intelligence ▰ The capacity to understand, reason and remember the spatial relations among objects or space ▰ Spatial Reasoning Task: Mental Rotation Cognition: Spatial Intelligence ▰ The capacity to understand, reason and remember the spatial relations among objects or space ▰ Male Advantage ▻ Infancy: Boys more likely to recognize a stimulus that is rotated in space ▻ Persists across lifespan ▻ Mental rotation only (not other spatial tasks) Cognition: Spatial Intelligence ▰ The capacity to understand, reason and remember the spatial relations among objects or space ▰ Male Advantage ▰ Only psychology sex diff finding that replicates ▰ 2nd largest sex difference in psychology ▻ 1st - males rate themselves as more masculine than females Cognition: Verbal Ability ▰ The capability of a person to express ideas using words in a clearly understandable manner ▰ Female Advantage ▻ Infancy: Girls talk earlier ▻ Elementary and High School: Girls score higher on measures of reading comprehension and verbal fluency ▻ Adults: No difference Levy’s Hypothesis ▰ Males have a more asymmetric brain organization ▰ Empirical evidence is lacking. ▻ 2 studies support ▻ 8 studies partial support ▻ 13 studies conflict ▰ Alternative explanations ▻ Evolutionary 18 Biopsychosocial Model 19 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 20 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 21 Academic Where do we see gender differences? 22 Reading and Math Reading ▰ In 2009 - girls outperform boys in reading in every PISA country. ▰ Average gender gap is 39 score points or over half a proficiency level. ▰ Difference is most stark when comparing the boys and girls from the lowest reading proficiency levels Reading ▰ Girls outperform boys in reading in every PISA country. ▰ Why? ▻ Biological Factors ▻ Social Stereotypes ▻ Sensitivity to socioeconomic status ▰ Gap is closing? ▻ 39 points in 2009 but ‘only’ 30 points in 2018 – i.e. gap narrowed by 9 points Math ▰ In 2009 - boys outperformed girls in mathematics in 35 of the 65 countries ▰ Average gender gap is 12 score points ▰ Gap is small and closing ▻ 2018 the difference was only 5 points Reading and Math 27 Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) Occupations STEM Median Income: $53 803 Non-STEM Males Females Median Income: $40 411 29% 43% 71% Statistics Canada 2016 Census Data N = 2 864 145 57% N = 12 962 890 29 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 30 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 31 Occupation Why do we have a gender gap in in STEM disciplines? 32 Under-Representation of Women in STEM ▰ Gender Stereotypes: STEM fields are often viewed as masculine, and teachers and parents often underestimate girls’ math abilities. ▰ Male-Dominated Cultures: Because fewer women work in STEM, these fields tend to perpetuate exclusionary, male-dominated cultures. ▰ Fewer Role Models: girls have fewer role models in real life but also books, media, popular culture. ▰ Math Anxiety: Girls have more negative emotions about math. Cognition vs. Emotion Women experience more math anxiety than men 36 Is math anxiety contagious? ▰ Female teachers’ math anxiety affects girls’ math achievement Beilock et al., 2010, PNAS The Academic Brain Study ▰ What are the cognitive, emotional, neural predictors of academic success in university, particularly in the mathematical domain? Transcripts Cognitive-Emotional Behavioural Battery (N=186) Major Declared Courses taken Grades fMRI Scan (N=60) (N=186) Undergrad (4 years) What explains sex differences in math anxiety? Math Ability Not Significant Sex Math Anxiety 39 Sokolowski et al., 2019, Cognition 40 What explains sex differences in math anxiety? Math Ability Perceived Math Ability Not Significant Sex Math Anxiety 41 Sokolowski et al., 2019, Cognition What explains sex differences in math anxiety? 42 What explains sex differences in math anxiety? Spatial Ability Perceived Spatial Ability Spatial Anxiety Sex Math Anxiety 43 Sokolowski et al., 2019, Cognition What explains sex differences in math anxiety? Spatial Ability Perceived Spatial Ability Spatial Anxiety Sex Math Anxiety 44 Sokolowski et al., 2019, Cognition What explains sex differences in math anxiety? Spatial Ability Perceived Spatial Ability Spatial Anxiety Sex Math Anxiety 45 Sokolowski et al., 2019, Cognition The Academic Brain Study ▰ What are the cognitive, emotional, neural predictors of academic success in university, particularly in the mathematical domain? Transcripts Cognitive-Emotional Behavioural Battery (N=186) Major Declared Courses taken Grades (N=186) Undergrad (4 years) Math anxiety predicts STEM avoidance and underperformance throughout university Number of STEM Courses Grades in STEM Courses Control Variables: Trait Anxiety, Verbal Working Memory, Gender, non-STEM Grades, Semesters Absent, %STEM Courses/STEM Grades Daker, Gattas, Sokolowski et al., 2021, npj Science of Learning Degree Occupation Only 27 percent of college grads have a job related to their major Studying Occupation Occupation is challenging to study: Unwieldy information space 996 Occupations Skills Abilities Knowledge 120 Traits Examples of Ratings of Occupational Attributes for Sample Occupations from O*NET ` Examples of Occupational Traits Abilities Knowledge Skills Arm Hand Steadiness Deductive Reasoning Chemistry Production & Processing Active Listening Programming 3 3 1.87 1.69 3.12 0.25 Chemists 3.12 4.5 6.1 3.85 3.75 1.75 Computer Programmers 1.12 3.88 0.29 2.56 4 4.88 Electricians 3 3.88 1.5 2.39 3 0 Fundraisers 0 4.25 0.06 0.56 3.88 1 Lawyers 0.38 4.38 0.38 1.46 4.75 0.75 Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners 2.12 2.38 0.97 1.12 2.25 0 Sales Managers 0.5 4.38 0.96 3.09 4 0.88 Example Occupations Bartenders 50 STEM Occupation Scores 51 Predicting STEM Occupations Cognition - Memory - Spatial - Visual Imagery - Logical reasoning Emotions - Stereotype - Anxiety - Perceived Ability - Self-confidence Measures of Brain Connectivity 52 Today’s Lecture ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ The gender spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal ▻ Spatial ▻ Explanations ▻ Biological ▻ Environmental ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading ▻ Math ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) disciplines 53 Summary ▰ 1. Sex vs. Gender ▻ Gender exists on a spectrum ▰ 2. Cognition ▻ Domains of difference ▻ Verbal (F > M) ▻ Spatial (M > F) ▻ Explanation ▻ Biopsychosocial Model ▰ 3. Academic ▻ Reading (F > M) ▻ Math ▻ Ability (F = M) ▻ Negative Emotion (F > M) ▰ 4. Gender Gap in Occupation ▻ STEM (M > F) ▻ Math anxiety ▻ Spatial thinking 54 Discussion Questions ▰ How do gender stereotypes influence sex differences in spatial and verbal tasks? ▰ What explains cross-temporal and cross-national variation in cognitive sex differences in reading and math? ▰ How research on cognitive sex differences be optimally used to maximize cognitive potential across genders? 55 Acknowledgements Advisors Prof. Daniel Ansari, Western University Prof. Brian Levine, Rotman Research Institute Collaborators Prof. Ian Lyons, Georgetown University Richard Daker, Georgetown University Prof. Hervé Abdi, The University of Texas at Dallas Carina Fan, Rotman Research Institute Dr. Ju-Chi Yu, Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Research Assistants Sarah Samantha Kingissepp Bray, Praja Vaikuntharajan, Ahmad Mousa, Chuka Ononye, Zaid Salaheen, Irene Zhang, Maddie Gravelle, Sarah Wilson, Maryam Sorkhou, Yushu Wang, Nika Zahedi, Laryssa Levesque Participants The undergrads who were involved in this research! 56 Thanks for your attention! Email: [email protected]