Understanding Gender Differences: Meanings, Quantification, and Interpretations, Slides of Brain and Cognitive Science

Download Understanding Gender Differences: Meanings, Quantification, and Interpretations and more Slides Brain and Cognitive Science in PDF only on Docsity! What IS a gender difference? • In the popular press, differences between men and women are often reported in terms of means (averages) • Example: How long does it take to comfort a crying baby? [hypothetical study] – Results suggest that women, on the average, pacify babies 30 seconds faster than men do – So what? Docsity.com Importance of a difference depends on means AND variance Docsity.com Interpreting d • D of 0.2 is considered “small” • D of 0.5 is considered “moderate” • D of 0.8 is considered “large” • Example: persuasion (56% of women are more persuadable than the average man) d=.16 • Example: aggression (only 30% of women are more aggressive as the average man) d=.50 • Example: Occupational preference (86% of men prefer realistic occupations more than women) d=1.06 Docsity.com Additional cautions • Journals are more likely to publish research that finds a gender difference than research that fails to find one (file drawer problem) • Experimenter expectancy effects lead us to see differences that might not be there Docsity.com Gender and verbal ability • 1974 review suggested that girls outperformed boys in verbal abilities • 1988 meta-analysis showed different results: – Only 27% of studies found female superiority – Average d measures were .2 to .3 – Studies published before 1973 showed larger gender differences than later studies Docsity.com Experiences in school • Girls often comply more with adult demands • Teachers see girls as highly motivated; when they fail, it must be due to lack of ability • Teachers are more likely to see a boy’s failure as lack of effort Docsity.com Gender and risky decisions • A behavior is “risky” when: – The behavior could lead to more than one possible outcome – Some of these outcomes are undesirable or dangerous – Example: unprotected sex • Studies suggest that men are more likely to take risks than women are Docsity.com Measuring risk attitudes • Mr. B has developed a serious heart ailment that will force him to change many of his habits. The physician suggests a risky operation which could completely cure the condition or could prove fatal. Check the lowest probability that you could consider acceptable for the operation to be performed. – The chances are 9 in 10 that the operation will be a success. – The chances are 7 in 10 – The chances are 5 in 10 – The chances are 3 in 10 – The chances are 1 in 10 Preference for risk Docsity.com