What Is This Fuss behind Gender Similarity Hypothesis - Literature review Example

Gender Similarities Hypothesis What is this fuss behind Gender Similarity Hypothesis? Typically, there has been many assumption that males and females are vastly different from a psychological perspective. Interestingly, many people often think that the female’s IQ is somehow low compared to the male. There has been misleading models that have been used to support this fallacy. For example, if one would be asked why boys often performed well in class than girls, he or she would answer based on the stereotype: the males are born naturally “smarter” than the females. The differences model that supports this fallacy has dominated the media for a long time. However, scientific studies that have been carried out reflect the opposite of this dominating differences model totally. For a long time, the media have reflected that men and women are fundamentally “different” using misconceptions despite them lacking scientific research evidence. This perpetuation has been adopted by the “urban legends” of gender difference and as such, it has both men and women at home and work. For example, studies at the workplace have shown that women who are perceived to be going against the already established feminine stereotype of caring and nurturing pay dearly during the hiring and evaluation period (Hyde and Frost, 1993). Furthermore, as far as personal relationships are concerned, popular magazines as well as best-selling books often perpetuate that men and women can never get along because of the way they communicated. These publications allege that men and women communicated differently on the pretext that they were naturally wired differently. Evidently, men and women would stop communicating prematurely because believe in that fallacy: inmate sex-based traits can never be altered or changed. More often than not children would suffer the consequences of the fallacy associated with the gender differences model. For instance, the widespread stereotypes of boys are better than girls in math. This stereotype often makes the girl child to become inferior and more often she never exploits her full potential. However, this fallacy has been belittled and proved wrong by the meta-analysis that was developed by Hyde (2005). The meta-analysis shows that boys and girls perform equally in mathematics up until high school. Notably, when they reach high school boys gain a small advantage over girls thus performing slightly better (Hyde, 2007). Accordingly, gender differences stereotype affect will always affect the girl child in a negative way. For example, a girl who is talented in mathematics may be overlooked by her parent who in many cases would have lower expectations for her daughter’s success in mathematics thus not putting much effort in helping her succeed academically. In that regard, Hyde (2005) cites previous studies that show a parent’s expectation of his or her child’s success in mathematics relate strongly to the child’s self-confidence and performance. To prove that men and women are not different, Hyde (2005) came with the gender similarities hypothesis, which asserts, “Females and males are similar on most, but not all psychological variables.” From a review of forty-six meta-analyses, Hyde was able to confirm that the gender similarities hypothesis which asserts that women and men are equal. Hyde’s hypothesis has been able to challenge a part of psychology that had always suggested men and women are essentially different. Tentatively, proponents of the gender Similarities Hypothesis, Helen Woolley (1910) and Stetter Hollingsworth (1914) have also come up with more similarity research prove that adds “a second string to the bow.” Contrastingly, those who are against the gender similarities hypothesis argue that men and women differ fundamentally on several significant psychological traits (Mau and Lynn, 2001). However, there is one gender differences model that straddles both perspectives. Developed by Eleanor Maccobby, the Psychology of Sex Differences (1974). The model or rather the study is one on the most comprehensive studies of gender differences. In this model, Eleanor was able to identify a number of differences between the mental functions and the behaviors of women and men. These differences are developed by complex interplays of biological developmental as well as well the cultural processes. Thus, the model seeks to identify the psychological characteristic manifestations of sexually dimorphic or rather different psychological adaptations. Moving Past the Myth Having carried out studies whose findings displace the stereotype in place, Hyde has been advocating for people stop the stereotype and give the females an equal opportunity. The evidence depicted by studies should alleviate the misunderstanding and correct the unequal treatment that people get, based on their gender. In 2005, the American Psychological Association released Hyde’s press release. In her speech, she asserted that the claims that come along with gender differences often hurt women’s opportunities at the workplace and even dissuade married individuals from resolving their conflicts and communication problems as well. She added that the repercussion of this is often dire to the children and adolescent children who have self-esteem issues. Similarly, Psychologist, Diane Halpern adds that even where patterns of cognitive differences are evident, differences cannot be taken as deficiencies. In addition, Diane argues that the differences that are firmly supported by evidence can cause concern since they can be used to enhance prejudicial beliefs. Consequently, girls and women would face discrimination constantly. The Hypothesis itself The gender similarities hypothesis reflects males and females as similar on most psychological variables. As far as the effect sizes are concerned, the hypothesis holds that most psychological gender differences are often in the close to zero (d ≤ 0.10) or small (0.11 Read More