Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes02:45

The Ratio of X Chromosome to Autosomes

10.2K
In most organisms, sex is determined by the ratio of X and Y chromosomes. However, in some organisms, such as Drosophila and C.elegans, sex is determined by the ratio of the number of X chromosomes to the number of sets of autosomes. The Y chromosome in Drosophila is active but does not determine sex. It contains genes responsible for the production of sperms in adult flies.  
Normal male Drosophila has a ratio of one X chromosome to two sets of autosomes. In contrast, normal female...
10.2K
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development01:30

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

410
Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
410
Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective01:23

Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective

472
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
472
Biological Influences on Intelligence01:30

Biological Influences on Intelligence

709
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter...
709
Natural Selection and Mating Preferences01:06

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

787
The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing,...
787
Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies02:09

Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies

43.2K
When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
43.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

An inclusive developmental science requires attention to neurodiversity.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2026
Same author

Attention and social problems are uniquely associated with academic achievement beyond overall psychopathology: multicohort replication in 3,800 participants.

Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines·2026
Same author

Early Identification of Children at Risk for Long-Term Difficulties with Mathematics Learning and Innumeracy in Adolescence.

Journal of pediatric neuropsychology·2026
Same author

Investigating the analytical robustness of the social and behavioural sciences.

Nature·2026
Same author

The myth that slow test-takers are worse students: Implications for time-limited testing.

Medical education·2026
Same author

Biological and cultural influences on the expression of sex differences: Commentary on Costello et al. (2026).

The American psychologist·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways
10:44

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Published on: December 9, 2013

12.8K

The Science of Sex Differences in Science and Mathematics.

Diane F Halpern1, Camilla P Benbow2, David C Geary3

  • 1Claremont McKenna College diane.halpern@cmc.edu.

Psychological Science in the Public Interest : a Journal of the American Psychological Society
|December 23, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Sex differences in science and math abilities are smaller in the middle range, with males showing more variability. Multiple biological and sociocultural factors interact, with no single cause for these differences.

More Related Videos

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity
07:32

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

Published on: February 10, 2016

10.0K
Protocol for Studying Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Naturally Cycling Female Rats
09:07

Protocol for Studying Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Naturally Cycling Female Rats

Published on: February 23, 2015

14.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 19, 2026

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways
10:44

Sex Stratified Neuronal Cultures to Study Ischemic Cell Death Pathways

Published on: December 9, 2013

12.8K
Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity
07:32

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

Published on: February 10, 2016

10.0K
Protocol for Studying Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Naturally Cycling Female Rats
09:07

Protocol for Studying Extinction of Conditioned Fear in Naturally Cycling Female Rats

Published on: February 23, 2015

14.3K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Public speculation exists regarding sex differences in science and mathematics careers.
  • Existing evidence suggests nuanced differences in abilities and achievement between sexes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a consensus statement on sex differences in science and math, based on scientific evidence.
  • To explore the interplay of cognitive abilities, biological factors, and sociocultural influences.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing scientific literature and evidence.
  • Analysis of sex differences in cognitive abilities (quantitative, visuospatial, verbal).
  • Examination of biological and sociocultural factors influencing career choices.

Main Results:

  • Sex differences in math and science achievement are less pronounced in the mid-range of ability distribution.
  • Males exhibit greater variability in quantitative and visuospatial abilities, leading to more males at ability extremes.
  • Females tend to excel in verbal abilities, while males outperform in visuospatial abilities.

Conclusions:

  • Sex differences in science and math are complex, influenced by interacting factors like early experience, biology, education, and culture.
  • No single or simple explanation accounts for the observed differences in pursuit of advanced science and math studies.
  • Understanding these differences requires considering a multifaceted interplay of factors rather than isolated causes.