Sex Differences in Variability in Vocational Interests: Evidence from Two Large Samples

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 568-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katja Paessler
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Vocational Interests ◽  
Gender Disparities ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Large Samples ◽  
Specific Analysis ◽  
Social Interests ◽  
Physical Attributes

Greater male variability has been established in cognitive abilities and physical attributes. This study investigated sex differences in variability in vocational interests with two large samples (N > 40 000 and N > 70 000). The results show that although men varied more in Realistic and Enterprising interests, women varied more in Artistic and Conventional interests. These differences in variability had considerable influence on the female–male tail ratios in vocational interests that have been found to contribute to reported gender disparities in certain fields of work and academic disciplines. Moreover, differences in means and variability interacted non–linearly in shaping tail–ratio imbalances. An age–specific analysis additionally revealed that differences in variability diminished with age: Older samples showed smaller differences in variance in Realistic, Artistic, and Social interests than younger samples. Thus, I found no evidence that greater male variability applies for vocational interests in general. Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology

scholarly journals Sometimes Hot, Sometimes Not: The Relations between Selected Situational Vocational Interests and Situation Perception

2020 ◽  
pp. per.2287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lena Roemer ◽  
Kai T. Horstmann ◽  
Matthias Ziegler
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Vocational Interests ◽  
Specific Situation ◽  
Intraindividual Variation ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
Social Interests ◽  
Person Environment Fit ◽  
Novel Approaches ◽  
Related Personality

Vocational interests are traditionally conceived as stable preferences for different activities. However, recent theorizing suggests their intraindividual variability. This preregistered experience sampling study examined intraindividual variation in selected vocational interests states and related situation and person factors ( N = 237). Results indicate that the three interest dimensions Investigative, Artistic, and Social interests did vary intraindividually but less so than other phenomena's dimensions (e.g., personality and happiness). At the within–person level, the focused interest states were related to specific situation characteristics, also after controlling for related personality dimensions and happiness. These relations were either specified a priori, based on the concept of congruence or person–environment fit, and tested in a strictly confirmatory manner, or identified using a more exploratory approach. Furthermore, aggregated states of the three selected interest dimensions mainly varied below their corresponding trait levels. This suggests that interest trait levels could represent an upper limit for aggregated interest states that could be due to method–related or construct–related reasons. The results demonstrate the situational character of interests and provide novel approaches for studying vocational interest in daily life. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology

A Role for the X Chromosome in Sex Differences in Variability in General Intelligence?

2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 598-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Johnson ◽  
Andrew Carothers ◽  
Ian J. Deary
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mental Retardation ◽  
X Chromosome ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Population Distribution ◽  
Population Variation ◽  
General Intelligence ◽  
Substantial Evidence ◽  
Normal Distributions ◽  
Intellectual Abilities

There is substantial evidence that males are more variable than females in general intelligence. In recent years, researchers have presented this as a reason that, although there is little, if any, mean sex difference in general intelligence, males tend to be overrepresented at both ends of its overall distribution. Part of the explanation could be the presence of genes on the X chromosome related both to syndromal disorders involving mental retardation and to population variation in general intelligence occurring normally. Genes on the X chromosome appear overrepresented among genes with known involvement in mental retardation, which is consistent with a model we developed of the population distribution of general intelligence as a mixture of two normal distributions. Using this model, we explored the expected ratios of males to females at various points in the distribution and estimated the proportion of variance in general intelligence potentially due to genes on the X chromosome. These estimates provide clues to the extent to which biologically based sex differences could be manifested in the environment as sex differences in displayed intellectual abilities. We discuss these observations in the context of sex differences in specific cognitive abilities and evolutionary theories of sexual selection.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities Among Children With the Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease Presenilin 1 E280A Variant From a Colombian Cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. e2121697
Author(s):  
Joshua T. Fox-Fuller ◽  
Arabiye Artola ◽  
Kewei Chen ◽  
Margaret Pulsifer ◽  
Dora Ramirez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Alzheimer Disease ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Autosomal Dominant ◽  
Presenilin 1

Sex differences in the right tail of cognitive abilities: A 30year examination

Intelligence ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 412-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Wai ◽  
Megan Cacchio ◽  
Martha Putallaz ◽  
Matthew C. Makel
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
The Right

Sex differences in latent general and broad cognitive abilities for children and youth: Evidence from higher-order MG-MACS and MIMIC models

Intelligence ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Reynolds ◽  
Timothy Z. Keith ◽  
Kristen P. Ridley ◽  
Puja G. Patel
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Higher Order ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Mimic Models

Sexual selection does not provide an adequate theory of sex differences in aggression

2009 ◽  
Vol 32 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 276-277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice H. Eagly ◽  
Wendy Wood
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Adequate Account ◽  
Selection Theory ◽  
Biosocial Theory ◽  
Adequate Theory ◽  
Sexual Selection Theory ◽  
Physical Attributes ◽  
Reproductive Activities

AbstractOur social role/biosocial theory provides a more adequate account of aggression sex differences than does Archer's sexual selection theory. In our theory, these sex differences arise flexibly from sociocultural and ecological forces in interaction with humans' biology, as defined by female and male physical attributes and reproductive activities. Our comments elaborate our theory's explanations for the varied phenomena that Archer presents.

Developmental Analysis of Sex Differences in Class Rank of Primary-Grade Children

1987 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezra K. Arap-Maritim
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Primary Grade ◽  
Differential Growth ◽  
Class Rank ◽  
Developmental Analysis

The study explored sex differences in class rank. 2,300 children, a total of 1,301 boys and 999 girls in Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 served as subjects ( N = 2,300). (a) More girls than boys were in the first top five class positions in Grades 1, 2, and 3. (b) No sex differences were found for Grades 4 and 5, and (c) more boys than girls were in the top five positions in Grades 6, 7, and 8. Is this a developmental phenomenon related to the differential growth of language and cognitive abilities?

scholarly journals Gender disparities in colloquium speakers at top universities

2017 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine L. Nittrouer ◽  
Michelle R. Hebl ◽  
Leslie Ashburn-Nardo ◽  
Rachel C. E. Trump-Steele ◽  
David M. Lane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
Colleges And Universities ◽  
Gender Disparities ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
Male Faculty

Colloquium talks at prestigious universities both create and reflect academic researchers’ reputations. Gender disparities in colloquium talks can arise through a variety of mechanisms. The current study examines gender differences in colloquium speakers at 50 prestigious US colleges and universities in 2013–2014. Using archival data, we analyzed 3,652 talks in six academic disciplines. Men were more likely than women to be colloquium speakers even after controlling for the gender and rank of the available speakers. Eliminating alternative explanations (e.g., women declining invitations more often than men), our follow-up data revealed that female and male faculty at top universities reported no differences in the extent to which they (i) valued and (ii) turned down speaking engagements. Additional data revealed that the presence of women as colloquium chairs (and potentially on colloquium committees) increased the likelihood of women appearing as colloquium speakers. Our data suggest that those who invite and schedule speakers serve as gender gatekeepers with the power to create or reduce gender differences in academic reputations.

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