Is it true men are better at math and science than women?

Question

is it actually true or just a stereotype? like women are more emotional and men more logical etc

Answer 1

No.  That is a dichotomous subjective delusion.  Imagine the "intelligences" of two people as two parallel lines two miles long.  Now, imagine bigots squatting around the end of those two lines with little measuring sticks measuring the few inches difference between them, which vary from individual to individual, those few inches, regardless of genitalia.  Bigots got their little calipers out and did the same with Black men / White men "intelligences", too.  Hitler and his monster "VERY "intelligent" psychologists and medical researchers did the same with Jews / "Pure" People.

What scientists have found in recent comparative analysis of female and male "intelligence" is such a small and consistently IN-consistent minor difference in spatial / verbal abilities as to essentially cease those explorations.  Also, there is a bigotry involved that permeates such research historically, that caliper search for "superiority".  Never once are the results consistently one way or the other and the conclusion is that gender acculturations account for the extremely minor differences.  And, "I.Q." tests are no longer considered valid because we actually do not have a way to truly universally objectively "test" for "intelligence".

The dichotomous delusion of female=verbal gifts and male=spatial gifts is also abandoned in modern learning theory because, in actuality, there are not "two" modes but at least eight.  The interest of the child, including math -science -music - art whatever can only thrive if taught through that child's learning style.  Otherwise, education is a horrible experience of boredom, sense of failure and incompetence.

Many nations already incorporate those eight modes or learning styles into their educational systems.  The public education system in the U.S. remains nortoriously medieval in it's failure to incorporate assessment and educational approaches designed to meet the learning needs/styles of all eight modes and forces children like round pegs into the square pegs of just two learning modes, verbal and spatial / math.  

The medieval dichotomous math/verbal paradigm is significantly responsible for why the U.S. lags behind all other developed nations in math / science scores.  The HIGHEST math/science scores of U.S. males in national testing, for example, actually fall BELOW the LOWEST math/science scores of males in several other developed nations.

Answer 2

If there are not enough women in the field of science and maths, it does not mean it is because we are not capable in these areas. However, unlike men, we do not feel the need to flaunt our abilities in order to caress our egos.

Answer 3

No it's not http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/20...

Actually math and science are my strong points. I have A's in all my math and science college classes. And yes, I'm a female.

Gun Fanatic: It it true that the number of men that are good at math is greater than the number of women. But it does not mean that all men are better at math and science that all women. I'm better at math and science than most men I know. And I'm being honest about that.

Answer 4

Not necessarily. I've known men who were terrible at both subjects while I've known women who were quite good. Besides, we really should separate the subjects instead of constantly lumping them together. They are two separate fields entirely. It is possible to be good at one but not the other. Besides, people should stop being afraid of math and not let that be an excuse to not pursue an interest in science. I find science very interesting and it was always one of my best subjects in school. It never mattered to me that I am not a math genius. I'm not bad at math but it's not one of my favorite subjects either.

Answer 5

It appears to be true in general that men tend to be better at maths and science than women.  That is statistically, more men are good at maths and science than women.  it does not mean that ALL men are better at maths and science than ALL women.  Obviously, there are men who are useless at maths and women who are billiant at it.  The fact remains that men predominate in the fields of maths and science.

Answer 6

It's a stereotype. One that attempts to suggest that women couldn't possibly hold positions of power, because their "emotions would take over."

Gun Fanatics link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...  

is very interesting, in that it discusses how men and women's brains integrate and process information in different parts of the brain, but that the overall result in "intelligence tests" in men and women are the same.

It's quite funny how he omitted the entire point of the article - that concluded that there are "no disparities in general intelligence between the sexes."

Answer 7

Women are generally capable of doing anything that a man can do. Some women excel in maths and science. Its not as simple as "women are more emotional and men are more logical" but men do tend to have a higher natural aptitute for maths and science. This is just something thats been inbuilt through the course of evolution (ie women have traditionally had less of a need to use that part of their brain)

Answer 8

Of course it's true. Even now, after years of positive discrimination against men, they are still dominant in scientific research and in post graduate education. Men are still responsible for the vast majority of scientific breakthroughs; they still win 95% of science Nobel Prizes.

Men dominate jobs which require scientific or numerate backgrounds. There's no getting away from it. Men are generally more logical than women.

Denying this biological reality, whilst acknowledging that women are superior to men in other areas, is political correctness at its most pathetic.

We are different.

Answer 9

Depends on  genetics or.....you can be good at what you want, can you?........

Answer 10

when we compare men and women, we see that women are more likely to believe in the religious superstitions, demonstrating that they are less logical than men.  I've worked in the Psychic fields for over 10 years and 90 percent of the clientele are women.  By the way for you ladies reading this, psychics are all scams! Women are more emotional period. Everyone on here that hasn't lived long enough to realize this in their everyday life is taking this question way too personally and not looking at this objectively, therefore probably a woman!

Answer 11

Yes

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883611.h...

http://www.lagriffedulion.f2s.com/math.h...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/200...

http://www.gnxp.com/MT2/archives/003482....

Men also have more gray matter on the brain (men have approximately 6.5 times the amount gray matter than women), this is why men tend to excel in tasks requiring more local processing (like mathematics).

@Pookie:  Read the whole thing, carefully; it talks about how men and women brains are different and how gray and white matter influence intelligence.  My links clearly prove that men in general are better than women when it come to mathematics.  You completely ignore my other links as well.

@Shura: Your source is from the "Institute for Research on Women and Gender": therefore it is a bias source.  

I never say that ALL men are better than women when it come math, because there are exceptions.  I say men in general are better when it come to mathematics.

Answer 12

look at the Einstein comment from the feminist peanut gallery and you be the judge of that(Einstein came up with the basis of his theory's way before he met his wife).

But seriously I think the feminist victim hood culture is holding female students back in the sciences because feminist's keep talking about the myth so others talk about it in a serious manner allowing it to spread further.

Got to love girl on girl discrimination(sarcasm)

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For example I am decent with algebra but geometry and other advanced mathematics is gibberish to me, while basic science,chemistry and biology I did good in(advanced chemistry different story).. But my strength's lie with reading comprehension,history, and other literary pursuits.

Answer 13

You don't live in Australia do you? In recent years the young ladies have been out-performing the young men in the maths and sceince subjects in the public exams at the end of high school state finals.

Each state and territory has public examinations for the final year of high school so we all know who gets the top marks in each subject. We also know what gender each to student is as the recipeint of the top mark for each subject in each state usually gets to pose with the state Premier (head of government) and their group photo is put in the paper. There are usually more young ladies than young men in these photos. Any as I have said the young ladies have led in the sciences for some years.

Each student can choose to have their marks texted to them or look them up on the internet as well as receiving a hard copy by post. In other words on the morning your states' public exam marks come out you get up - grab you mobile and look and then yell out - "He Mum!!! - Hey Dad!!! - Guess What!!!". It might be good news or it might be bad new or it might be mixed.

We also know which schools the top students go to. There is enormous competition amongst the schools to have the best students at their school. This leads to the most prestigious schools seeking to have the students with the top marks. The top boys and girls schools seek too out-do one another.

Schools will often go out of their way to get a list of the scores achieved by their top students published in the paper or on the internet so as to attract higher enrollments. This is particularly the case if they are a private fee paying school wishing to attract well performed students in the future.

The fact that so many young ladies have done so well in recent times means that they have made their way into the professions such as medicine, accounting, chemistery, biochemtry and engineering to mention a few.

As to men doing better than women. I think individual aptitude and hard work are part of it. A knowledgeable and dedicated teacher is also very important as is a good learning environment. These last two can't be underestimated. Learning can't travel on ego alone. As to emotions - exam nerves are experienced by both sexes. Both men and women are capable of thinking logically. These agruemnts you have put forward are outdated. Both sexes are capable of doing well in the sciences if they work hard at it.

Social attitudes have a critical effect on women progressing in all career paths and the fact that we take time out for child raising is important to lack of career progress - not a lack of ability. I hope you forgive me for speking at length. I do think that women can perform as well as men at maths and science.

Cheers!!!

Answer 14

In general, yes. Although no feminist would dream of thinking about considering admitting it.

Answer 15

i dont beleve that at all....  theres nothing a guy can do that a girl cant do jus as gud... maybe better....

i saw a show on tv that said einsteins wife was realy the one coming up with all his ideas.... but he took credit for it all an evry1 thot he was so smart... but it was realy his wife that was the smart 1 an invented all his therys...

Answer 16

I thought it was true because my ex was so good at it...then I met my daughter-in-law, who far and away blows everyone else away.

Answer 17

No, it's a stereotype.

Answer 18

Yes, statistically it is true; and it has been reproducible in large, well-validated studies.

Answer 19

It's a stereotype. It's not true.

Answer 20

I think the jury is still out on that question.  We need a few more years to accumulate enough women who were not told all their life that women didn't need science and math skills, and a few years to get rid of teachers who expect less of girls than boys.  Nursing is still a predominantly female field,and nursing exams have quite a bit of math and chemistry on them.  

As for logical v. emotional, that has been disproved.

Answer 21

Feminists could never possibly admit it but then again they can't even recognize reality.

In general, YES. men are better at science and math. There are some women who do very well in that field but by far and away there are more men.

Answer 22

Women are socialized to be emotional, whereas men are socialized to be more methodical. Someone's s*x doesn't determine their innate math or science skills, however enough years spent in a culture telling you men or women act in particular ways, is enough to reinforce social norms.

Answer 23

Yes we are, and heaven forbid if you state that in public, even when trying to address the issue. A fine example is Summers getting fired from Harvard.

Answer 24

Is anyone else tired of this question?

I think it depends on the person. My sister is better at math than me. It just depends...

Answer 25

I think to a certain extent that men do have the upperhand when it comes to maths, but women are very fluent in their abilities when it comes to science.

I dont think men are smarter than women or vice versa.

I just think that some people have greater aptitude for some areas of study/work than others.

Hope it helps.

Answer 26

Its just a stereotype.

Cultural/societal/enviromental factors all effect the amounts of women going into certain fields. For instance, many women may not pursue a higher degree because they are pressured into marriage/childbearing instead.

Men are encouraged to pursue fields/interests in math and science at a young age, while many women are ignored. There is usually more support for men in Science/Math in high schools and universities too. This contributes to more men being in certain professions than women, not the fact that women can't perform at the same level or better as men.

The statement that women are inferior to men in an academic field is just about as valid as one saying one race is superior to another in an academic field. Its complete bull****.

Answer 27

Although there is a great deal of overlap, generally speaking, females perform better with language and communication. Maybe they just aren't as interested, or motivated to do science and mathematics, possibly regarding it as "geeky". The highest recorded result in an intellinence test was by a female.