November 23, 2019, 8:03 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Boys are better at math and girls excel in art or German–at least that’s a common stereotype. U.S. researchers have now investigated whether there is any truth to these gender-specific differences by comparing the brain activities of male and female students.
Even among scientists, the theory persists that women are not as good with numbers as men because a female brain is structured differently from a male one. As a result, men are more likely to choose careers with a technical or scientific background.
Examination of Brain Scans
A research team led by Jessica Cantlon from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, USA, wanted to know more and focused their study on neural processes in 55 girls and 49 boys aged three to ten. They showed the children videos with mathematical topics (such as counting or addition) and measured brain functions using brain scans (MRI) during the viewing. The researchers then compared the children’s scans with those of 63 adults (25 women, 38 men) who had watched the same videos.
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What Did the Researchers Find?
Even after numerous statistical comparisons, Cantlon and her team could not find any difference in the brain development of girls and boys. Nor could they detect any difference in the processing of mathematical skills. The children were equally engaged while watching the educational videos, according to the researchers. This means that when it comes to numbers, girls and boys are the same. The study was published in the journal “Science of Learning.”
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Difference Culturally Driven
The researchers consider the idea that success in math is gender-based to be debunked. However, the myth of role stereotypes–and the associated expectations for performance in math and science–remains. Girls are still underestimated in this area. If more men pursue careers in science, it is more likely due to socially preconceived notions. Boys are under greater pressure than girls to choose a career with higher financial rewards.
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Next, Cantlon and her team plan to test the same children over a longer period. They aim to investigate more complex mathematical skills, such as spatial processing and memory performance.