Gender Implication on Intelligence - Essay Example

? GENDER IMPLICATION ON INTELIGENCE By of School and Location) Many researches about intelligence theory have been published as the interest about the matter increases. Imperative discussions on intelligence tests and its causal relation to various human traits namely, gender, age, environment, ethnic group, etc are continuously developing today (Naderi et al 2008). Intelligence tests as used in many academic establishments particularly in western countries have been reviewed and modified throughout the time (Stanovich 2009). In entrance examinations for schools and work establishments for instance, certain areas quantifying intelligence different from the traditional measures are being considered. In further researches, intelligence theory has opened new line of thinking concerning the recognition of a wider range of human intellect (Gardner 2006). Thus, intelligence as a subject matter in many researches and studies is greatly established. Intelligence theories and its implications on other fields like psychology (Piaget 1950), sociology and neurobiology (Gray and Thompson 2004) are also essential in our understanding of human mind and intellect. In this paper, the discussion of human intelligence by exploring its relation to gender, as one of the probable variables of intelligence-difference among humans, will be explored. The discussion of the background and brief history of intelligence test will also be presented in order to understand better the subject matter. Intelligence theories will be analyzed in relation to gender in accordance with the objective to see the correlation between the two. Examples of researches with regards to the said concepts will be investigated to further substantiate the paper. Significant results will be analyzed and will be integrated in making a conclusion for the paper. Intelligence and gender may both refer to abstract concepts that people made up in order to understand the events and matters related to the concepts (Hacking 1999; Kessler and McKenna 1978). Though this is the case, significant numbers of research are done to analyze and identify the correlation between the two concepts. Consequently, many issues concerning the ethics and moral implications of the studies are raised as the ideas involved are very sensitive matters (Messick 1980). Considering gender issues for instance, we see that the possibility of claiming some basis for discrimination may outpour if certain researches and surveys will be introduced to the public. In the case of the idea of intelligence, some people who are subject to testing and evaluation using intelligence tests might have problems in accepting the results of the assessment as they might feel insecure and depressed because of it (Zammit et al 2004). Though some claims that intelligence is a construct and can be hardly measured (Humphreys 1979; Scott-Wittenborn 2004), many arguably refer to it as a human feature that can be calculated and quantified (Galton 1883; Binet 1905; Kline 1991). The interests to quantify human intelligence go beyond analyzing the mind functions as theorists and makers of intelligence tests like Galton (1883), Binet (1905), Spearman (1904), and Thurstone (1938) successfully designed an assessment program that will measure and categorize intelligence on the basis of their own definitions of studied subject. Today, intelligence in the way the said theorists defined it in the context of their time has changed its meaning in various ways. The ‘lay conception of intelligence’ (Sternberg 2000) has transformed in terms of how intelligence was defined based on the areas an individual human can be a genius of. Traditionally, intelligence is measured based on logical and mathematical reasoning and similar assessment. Today, though the traditional one is still being used (Eysenck 2007), fundamental changes in seeing intelligence in a different and a more wide-ranging perspective are being observed. New theories on the subject like the multiple intelligence phenomenon, emotional initelligence, and artificial intelligence are now being recognized (see Gardner 1983; 2006). Thus, in history, discussions and investigations about intelligence, its measurability, ethical and moral implications, usefulness, and further development have apparently become of great interest to the scholars and the public. Looking at gender as a probable variable of intelligence-difference among humans, several researches concerned about the relation between the two are brought out. The curiosity behind the intriguing idea has pushed many scholars to conduct surveys and other forms of research in order to satisfy their desire to know. Political and ethical issues aside, in these researches, significant results have provided certain generalization about gender differences and intelligence. However, by cross-analyzing different researches, we can observe how these studies have been molded by particular perspectives in interpreting and demonstrating the results. In one research concerning the relation of gender influence on human intelligence entitled Intelligence and Gender as Predictors of Academic Achievement Among Undergraduate Students (Naderi et al 2008), a conclusion was made denying gender as a significant variable of intelligence performance. The research was conducted with a participant population of 153 (105 males and 48 females). Thus, the study shows a lower correlation between score of intelligence and gender. In the research, the team introduced a concept termed ‘fluid intelligence’ (Cattell 1971 as cited in Naderi et al) which refers to a generalized intelligence; that is, one’s ‘ability to use skills, knowledge, and experience’. In here, we see that the concept of intelligence referred to us in the research has its own background meaning; that is, if not noticed, a possibility of having a different conclusion may mislead us. Looking at the above example, critical analysis of researches pertaining to the subject matter is significant in the evaluation of the whole course. Carefully, we must analyze the results of the findings in consideration of the definition of the concepts involved. However, by implication, we see that these differences among the concepts defined suggest that studies and researches about intelligence and its relation to gender may not be referring to the concepts used by one another. Clearly, conclusions may differ according to the perspectives used, and the way concepts are defined. Thus, we should take into consideration these differences by looking at the idea of intelligence. Intelligence in its ‘lay’ definition refers to one’s ability to reason using cognitive skills. It is usually based on one’s ‘academic’ learning and literacy (Sternberg 2000). Thus, a ‘systematic’ design to measure and quantify it was made by its pioneers like Galton (1883), Binet (1905). However, ‘multiple intelligence’ (Gardner 2006) was later introduced to debunk the one-sided conception of the former. This theory on intelligence embraces various forms of human intellectual features such as: ‘linguistic intelligence ("word smart"), logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart"), spatial intelligence ("picture smart"), bodily-kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart"), musical intelligence ("music smart"), Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart"), intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart"), and naturalist intelligence ("nature smart")’ (Gardner 2006). Through the introduction of this theory, further researches followed which focused on different areas of the new concept. Researches in relation to gender are also established. Based on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, a research done by Nasser et al (2008) conducted a survey considering the enumerated ranges of intelligence. The study entitled Gender Differences on Self-Estimates of Multiple Intelligences: A Comparison Between Indian and Lebanese Youth (Nasser et al 2008), having a participant population of f 648 Lebanese and 252 Indian students, found out that males have higher ‘body kinesthetic component’ than the females. However, according to the study, females rated higher on ‘verbal and intra-personal’ intelligence than males. Thus, significant differences in particular areas such as verbal, spatial, and logical abilities are found among males and females. Notably, other important factors considered in the analysis of the surveys like the presence of interaction and nationality was taken into the account. In the study, we see how the perspective used in studying and determining aspects of intelligence has been modified to a larger and wide-ranging view. As an implication of the study, we also see gender as an influencing factor to intelligence in a different light. In a different research, a survey done to see the relation between gender and multiple intelligence, particularly in the area of linguistic capability was illustrated. The study entitled A Study of Multiple Intelligences, Foreign Language Success and Some Selected Variables (2009) revealed that generally, in different areas of intelligence, certain fields were particularly championed by different gender classification. Thus, the result has played significant role in identifying fields of intelligence like spatial, body kinesthetic, musical, and intrapersonal intelligence to certain gender group. Consequently, through these examples of researches, we see how complex pattern of codifying the relation of each feature of multiple intelligence can influence the relation between gender difference and intelligence. As a result, we can argue that though at some point, it has played a big role in determining intelligence; gender differences in consideration of many aspects of human intelligence do not directly affect one’s level of intelligence. Looking at the different perspectives presented in this paper, gender implication on intelligence can be seen in a more consolidating way; that is, in avoidance of the aspects of discrimination and other negative implications. Gender and intelligence, viewed in the political and social arena may be comprehended in particular ways depending on the background of the framework of analysis. Since intelligence has been defined greatly in various ways, placing gender as a factor influencing it may be dismissed at some point. Through the introduction of multiple intelligence, the perspective on looking at humans’ skill and capabilities was changed into a more integrative and wide-ranging view. Intelligence is not anymore contained in the idea of superior intellectual thinking through the logical and cognitive skills. Through time, considerations of other aspects of human ’expertise’ have been recognized primarily because of certain revolutionary theories and concepts introduced in the century. Works Cited Binet, A. (1905). Analyse de C.E. Spearman, The Proof and Measurement of Association between Two things and General Intelligence Objectively Determined and Measured. L'Arinke Psychologique, 11, 623-624. Eysenck, H.(2007). The Structure and Measurement of Intelligence. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Galton, F. (1883). An inquiry into human faculty. London: Macmillan. Gardner, H.(1983). Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences. New York: Basic Books. Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple Intelligence New Horizons. New York: Basic Books. Gray, J. and Thompson, P. (2004). Neurobiology of Intelligence: Science and Ethics. Nature Reviews Volume 5, 471-482. Hacking, I. 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