Sex differences in IQ?

[BrainMan]

It might seem a reasonable question to ask. But it now seems clear that, on average, males and females have the same IQ. I have taken a number of psychology courses that have point this fact out and moved on without further mention.

 

What I would like to do is look at what the undergraduate psychology courses (at least at my school) tend to leave out. First of all, average IQ scores cannot have average differences for sex. This is a matter of test construction. IQ tests purposely eliminate questions that lead to sex biases in the score. The question of average differences in IQ becomes meaningless given this fact. What isn't meaningless is the fact that males and females will still show average differences on subsections of the test. Male sare better on some secions and females better on others, such that the average scores will balance out. Another meaningful difference is a difference in variance. Males are much more variable than females are. In other words, females tend to cluster around average scres, while males are more spread out with larger numbers at the very high end and the very low end of the scale.

 

When someone claims that there are no differneces in IQ between males and females, aren't they missing something? Aren't they just pointing out the meaningless facts as they must be- as the test is designed- and ignoring the important facts?

[Kevin Conti]

First of all i must point out that IQ is no longer considered an objective measure of intelligence and the statement that the IQ of the two sexes are equal is somewhat contentious. It should be noted that that studies of IQ so far have been unrepresentative and designed wrong, meaning that the results we have have been diverse. Specifically, the results of study A (which has been totally different) has been generaled to be the same as study B (again, a different IQ test).

 

COnsequently, for that reason i am unable to point to any striking IQ difference between the sex. However, it should be noted that males are inherently designed to be more efficient with their spatial ability than females and on the converse, females tend to have more verbal intelligence and interpersonal attribution abilities. The reasons for these differences is an evolutionary one, particularly as the male adaption of improved spatial skills increased their chances of acquiring food in primate times. The fact that females are in general better at verbal manipulation is related to them being more sociable in ancestoral times.

[Wolfgang Mozart]

From my readings, there is no average sex differences in IQ. But, there are differences in some certain skills, for example, according to the American Psychological Association, men on average are better at visio-spatial abilities.

 

I can't remember what women were better at, but I think it was the use of language and multi-tasking.