Vanderbilt University psychologists, studying middle-aged men and women who were high achievers in math, having an IQ of 140+, received quite different responses from males and females to statements about preferences: Men emphasized freedom of expression and ideas, merit pay, a full-time career, invention, taking risks, working with things, lots of money, stating facts in the face of resistance. Women emphasized part-time careers, for a limited time, working no more than 40 hours a week, flexibility in work schedule, friendships, community service, socializing, and community.
Turns out I'm a guy
I know, these studies are about averages and can't be expected to apply to every individual, as I'm always saying. But everything on the man list rings bells with me, while I can barely hear the siren song from the woman list--though most of the latter began to have more appeal to me after the age of about 60:
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9 comments:
"Murray ends his discussion of sex differences by saying, “Males and females are different. A lot different.” "
Go figure. Ya gotta go to a Top Skool to be surprised by this.
To us hicks, it is sort of self evident.
I always find it a little irksome when articles say something like: "In one personality inventory of Americans, women were found significantly more appreciative of art and beauty"...What does 'significantly' mean?...5% difference?...20% difference?...40% difference? Intuitively, the assertion seems true, but if people are going to the trouble of doing a study and reporting on it, why not talk about the results in more specific terms?
Now *this* assertion..."(women were) more modest in playing down their achievements" is often stated, but as an experienced manager and executive, I have to say that these shrinking violets have been pretty rare among the women working for me.
What does 'significantly' mean?
It's especially problematic when comparing categorical data groups like "art" or "beauty" or "obesity" or "slimness."
Eric Hines
That’s true. How would one show that woman A enjoys music 20% more than man B? Even in the single case it’s impossible without adopting a questionable metric (eg ‘buys more records’ or ‘experiences higher dopamine levels in the brain,’ neither of which tell you anything about the conscious experience they are each having).
If you’re averaging numbers that are individually nonsense, I can’t imagine that you’ll end up with a meaningful result.
This definitely follows the Althouse rule:
“... women were found significantly more appreciative of art and beauty, were more open to inner feelings and emotions, more modest in playing down their achievements, and more reactive, affected by feelings, and easily upset. Women, on average, were more, outgoing, attentive to others, sensitive, aesthetic, sentimental, cooperative, accommodating, and deferential, warm toward others, showing selfless concern for others, sympathetic, enjoying company, and straightforward and undemanding. Men, on average, were more reserved, utilitarian, unsentimental, dispassionate, and solitary.”
*glances down at chest* Huh. So my behaviors and attitudes are more like a guy, but my anatomy and my wardrobe say I'm a girl? Good thing I like medieval and renaissance art and I tend to be undemanding. That should break the tie. :)
LittleRed1
These rules seem to have been established by people who have a vigorous skepticism regarding the values of people whose mindset they oppose. C.S. Lewis said of such in The Abolition of Man, “Their skepticism about values is on the surface: it is for use on other people’s values; about the values current in their own set they are not nearly skeptical enough.”
Hey wait, look at this:
"... progressives were found significantly more appreciative of art and beauty, were more open to inner feelings and emotions, more modest in playing down their achievements, and more reactive, affected by feelings, and easily upset. Progressives, on average, were more, outgoing, attentive to others, sensitive, aesthetic, sentimental, cooperative, accommodating, and deferential, warm toward others, showing selfless concern for others, sympathetic, enjoying company, and straightforward and undemanding. Conservatives, on average, were more reserved, utilitarian, unsentimental, dispassionate, and solitary.”
Hmm.
That's a relief. I'm not a guy after all, just a conservative--a traitor to my sex.
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