This shows there's no issue of intellectual ability--and that's a message we still need to get out to some of our parents and teachers,
Actually, it doesn't. It's a reassuring piece of work in that it says that cultural and social factors dominate any genetic factors, but that shouldn't be that surprising when looking at overall means.
But if means are equal but standard deviations are greater for boys, then the higher up you go in mathematical ability (and the lower down), the more the group will be disproportionately boys, so it doesn't put to rest the idea that you "should" see more math PhDs going to men than to women.
As far as risk-taking is concerned, note that risk-taking behavior is more evolutionarily beneficial for men than for women. I wonder if this is part of the reason why risk taking is encouraged more in boys than in girls.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-08-16 08:35 pm (UTC)Actually, it doesn't. It's a reassuring piece of work in that it says that cultural and social factors dominate any genetic factors, but that shouldn't be that surprising when looking at overall means.
But if means are equal but standard deviations are greater for boys, then the higher up you go in mathematical ability (and the lower down), the more the group will be disproportionately boys, so it doesn't put to rest the idea that you "should" see more math PhDs going to men than to women.
As far as risk-taking is concerned, note that risk-taking behavior is more evolutionarily beneficial for men than for women. I wonder if this is part of the reason why risk taking is encouraged more in boys than in girls.