The study debunks myths about gender differences in mathematical abilities
Last reviewed: 16.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
A large study that studied school performance in mathematics calls into question certain general assumptions about gender differences in mathematical achievements, in particular, that girls and women have less mathematical capabilities due to biological differences.
"We tested some recently proposed hypotheses that try to explain gender differences in mathematical abilities, and found that they were not confirmed by real facts," says Janet Mertz, the study's principal author at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Instead, researchers linked the differences in mathematical abilities with socio-cultural factors. Scientists analyzed data from 86 countries that were used to refute the "great male hypothesis of variability", set forth in 2005 by Lawrence Summers, as the main reason for the shortage of outstanding female mathematicians.
Using international data, the authors note that in most countries, men did not have significant achievements in mathematics. Therefore, the phenomenon of male "mathematical superiority" refers more to socio-cultural aspects than to biological characteristics of the sexes.
The new research is based on the data of the international study of mathematics in 2007 and the program of the international evaluation of students in 2009.
After studying the data in detail, the authors noted that boys living in some countries of the Middle East, such as Bahrain and Oman, in the mathematical sciences showed worse results than girls. Scientists have linked this pattern to the cultural tradition: most boys attend religious schools, and curricula include few hours of mathematics. For these reasons, it is fully justifiable to attribute differences in mathematical abilities primarily to the socio-cultural plane.
To measure the status of women relative to men in each country, the authors relied on the gender gap index, which compares both sexes in terms of income, education, health and political participation. Linking these indices to mathematical abilities, they concluded that achievements in the exact sciences for boys and girls tend to be higher in countries where gender equality exists.
"We found that boys and girls are doing better in mathematics in countries where women's rights are not infringed," Kane said.
None of the studies have shown that inherent biological differences between the sexes can be the main cause of the gender gap in mathematical abilities. This gap is associated with socio-cultural factors that differ in different countries.