Sex Differences in a Causal Model of Mathematics Achievement

1984 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 361-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna A. Ethington ◽  
Lee M. Wolfle
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Causal Model ◽  
Spatial Visualization ◽  
Spatial Abilities ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Covariance Structures ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Using Data

Using data from the “High School and Beyond” study, this paper reexamines the reason men and women differ in mathematics achievement by means of a covariance-structures causal model of mathematics achievement, which permits the estimation of effects while accounting for known measurement error in the predictor variables. Our results indicate that sex continues to have a significant effect on mathematics achievement even after controlling for sex differences in spatial abilities, background in mathematics, and interest in mathematics. Separate analyses by sex, however, indicate that the process of mathematics achievement differs between men and women. In particular, women tend to have less spatial visualization ability than men, but the effects of this variable on mathematics achievement are greater for women.

scholarly journals Sex differences in the genetic and environmental underpinnings of meat and plant preferences

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Çağla Çınar ◽  
Laura Wesseldijk ◽  
Annika Karinen ◽  
Patrick Jern ◽  
Joshua M. Tybur
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Meat Consumption ◽  
Developmental Origins ◽  
Childhood Exposure ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Using Data

People vary in the degree to which they enjoy eating meats versus plants. This paper examines the genetic and environmental roots of this variation, as well as the genetic and environmental roots of meat neophobia, plant neophobia, and vegetarianism/veganism. Using data from 9,319 adult Finnish twins and siblings of twins (551 MZ, 861 DZ complete; 783 MZ, 2,692 DZ incomplete twin pairs), we examine the degree to which recalled childhood exposure to meats and plants relates to adult preferences for the same meats and plants. We also investigate sex differences in the heritability of 1) meat and plant preferences, 2) childhood meat and plant consumption, 3) meat and plant neophobia, and the heritability of 4) vegetarianism/veganism. For both men and women, recalled childhood meat consumption correlated more strongly with current meat preferences than current plant preferences, and recalled childhood plant consumption correlated more strongly with current plant preferences than current meat preferences. We detected sex differences in the heritability of childhood meat consumption (h2men= .31, h2women= .11) and current meat preferences (h2 men = .26, h2women =.51), but not childhood plant consumption (h2men= .41, h2women =.17), current plant preferences (h2men = .45, h2women =.53), meat neophobia (h2men = .48, h2women = .55) or plant neophobia (h2men = .56, h2women = .54). Further, different genes undergirded men’s and women’s meat preferences. Abstention from meat (i.e., vegetarianism/veganism) was 75% heritable. These results have implications for hypotheses of the developmental origins of dietary patterns and hypotheses for sex differences in meat consumption.

Assessment of Motives and Orientations

1979 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Youniss ◽  
Maurice Lorr ◽  
Edward C. Stefic
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
College Women ◽  
College Men ◽  
Personality Types ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Scale Scores ◽  
Discriminant Function Analyses

Study aims to test for the hypothesized dimensional structure of a revision and extension of the Orientation and Motivation Inventory (OMI) and to check for sex differences. The 12-scale inventory was administered to 307 high school and college men, and to 184 college women. The intercorrelations among the half scale scores for the men and for the women were separately factor analyzed and rotated. For men, 10 of the factors, and for women, 11 of the factors hypothesized were confirmed. Five second-order dimensions were identified in both men and women. The scores were next applied in discriminant function analyses to differentiate male and female subjects allocated to one of Holland's six personality types. The results provide some support for the validity of the motivational scales.

Mathematics Learning and the Sexes: A Review

1974 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 126-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Fennema
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Upper Elementary ◽  
Cognitive Tasks ◽  
Achievement Data ◽  
National Longitudinal Study ◽  
Elementary Years ◽  
Better Than

It has long been accepted as true that boys learn mathematics better than girls do. To determine the validity of this belief, 36 studies concerned basically or tangentially with sex differences in mathematics achievement were reviewed and two others were analyzed in depth. The data from one study (Parsley, et al., 1964), which often has been quoted as supportive of boys' mathematics superiority, was reevaluated with the conclusion that the data from this study do not support the idea that boys are superior to girls in mathematics achievement. Data concerned with sex differences in achievement from the National Longitudinal Study of Mathematics Achievement were also presented.No significant differences between boys' and girls' mathematics achievement were found before boys and girls entered elementary school or during early elementary years. In upper elementary and early high school years significant differences were not always apparent. However, when significant differences did appear they were more apt to be in the boys' favor when higher-level cognitive tasks were being measured and in the girls' favor when lower-level cognitive tasks were being measured. No conclusion can be reached concerning high school learners.

Achievement and Participation of Women in Mathematics: Results of Two National Surveys

1981 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 356-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane M. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Mathematics Assessment ◽  
National Assessment ◽  
National Surveys ◽  
Participation Of Women ◽  
High School Males ◽  
Women In Mathematics ◽  
Mathematical Applications

Data from two national surveys were analyzed to determine the extent of sex differences in mathematics achievement and participation and the effect of participation and spatial visualization ability on achievement. Results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress second mathematics assessment and the Women in Mathematics survey are reported for 13-year-olds, 17-year-olds, and high school seniors. Results indicate that (a) sex differences in participation favoring males exist for some higher level mathematics courses, (b) by the end of high school males outperform females on mathematical applications, and (c) sex differences in achievement on mathematical applications persist even when mathematics participation is controlled.

Sex Differences in Adolescent Mathematics Behaviour

1987 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 137-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delene Visser
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Significant Others ◽  
Spatial Abilities ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
Cognitive Measures ◽  
Aptitude Tests ◽  
Attitudinal Factors ◽  
Biological Evidence ◽  
Intention To Continue

This study concerns the explanation of sex differences that typically occur from adolescence onwards and favour males in achievement and participation in mathematics. In the absence of conclusive biological evidence, social, emotional, and attitudinal factors were investigated in this regard. The subjects were 1 605 Afrikaans-speaking Std 5 and Std 7 students and 2 506 of their parents. Cognitive measures included mathematics achievement and several aptitude tests. Also measured were attitudinal variables such as confidence and enjoyment of mathematics, perception of the attitudes of significant others towards self, personal and general usefulness of mathematics, and the stereotyping of mathematics. For Std 7 students, but not for Std 5 students, significant differences favouring males were found in spatial abilities and several attitudinal variables. The intention to continue participation in mathematics was accurately predicted by attitudinal variables in the case of Std 7 females, but not males.

Intelligence and Social Background as Related to Psychological Cost-Benefit in Career Choice

1977 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 963-970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Ekehammar
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
School Choice ◽  
Career Choice ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Background Factor ◽  
Background Factors ◽  
Continued Education ◽  
Using Data

The relationships between a set of proposed constructs, psychological cost-benefit-profit with regard to continued education, and the traditional background factors, intelligence, social background, in career choice models were tested on the post-high school choice using data from 173 students. The results showed that social background but not intelligence had significant correlations with the proposed constructs, especially for girls. The mother's education, rather than the father's, was the most important social background factor. Certain sex differences and interaction effects were indicated.

A Structural Model of Mathematics Achievement for Men and Women

1986 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna A. Ethington ◽  
Lee M. Wolfle
Keyword(s):  
Mathematics Achievement ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Causal Model ◽  
Attitudes Toward Mathematics ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Latent Construct ◽  
Mathematics Ability ◽  
Extensive Body

An extensive body of research indicates that men on the average achieve higher scores in mathematics than women. This paper addresses the issue of how this difference develops by estimating a latent-construct causal model of the process of mathematics achievement. When the model was compared between men and women, we found that the process of mathematics achievement differs. In particular, we found that mathematics ability and attitudes toward mathematics had stronger effects on mathematics achievement for men than for women. The interactions between sex and the variables in the model indicate that the process for men and women is not simply additive, and may be more complicated than previous researchers have assumed.

Money or Attention? Sex Differences in Reactions to Social Exclusion

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (5) ◽  
pp. 845-854
Author(s):  
Ziwei Wang ◽  
Ping Tu
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
School Students ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
High Salary

We examined differences in the ways in which men and women perceive and react to social exclusion. Men typically experience agentic-type threats in a social exclusion context and are motivated to improve their agentic belief in themselves, whereas women experience communal-type threats and pay greater attention to others. In this study, we employed the pursuit of money as an agentic form of compensation and pursuit of attention as a communal form of compensation. In 2 experiments with high school students as participants (N = 103 and 126, respectively), we found that social exclusion increases the preference of men for a high salary and the preference of women for conspicuous products, and that self-focus mediates these effects. We have contributed to the literature by exploring the different coping strategies of men and women who face social exclusion.

Sex-Related Differences in Spatial Ability: More Evidence for Convergence

1989 ◽  
Vol 69 (3-1) ◽  
pp. 915-921 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heinrich Stumpf ◽  
Eckhard Klieme
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Ability ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Secular Trend ◽  
Spatial Visualization ◽  
German Population ◽  
Clear Trend ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Using Data ◽  
D Value ◽  
Visualization Ability

Sex-related differences in spatial ability, favoring males, have frequently been reported in the literature. Recent analyses, however, have found indications of a convergence in the scores of men and women on spatial tests over the years. This research examined the evidence for such a secular trend in a German population using data of 18 samples that had completed the Cube Perspectives Test, a measure of spatial visualization ability. The largest effect size ( d = .77) was found for a sample tested in 1978, the smallest difference ( d = .38) was observed for a sample tested in 1987. There was a clear trend narrowing the sex-related differences; the correlation between the recency of the data and the respective d-value was -.926. The convergence of the scores of men and women proved to be stronger than in the previous studies.

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