Men are better at giving directions and other gender stereotypes that have no scientific backing

Are men smarter than women? This is a topic that has been debated for a long time and is full of inaccurate information and exaggerated claims. On the level of the individual, genetic predisposition and upbringing play pivotal roles. That is to say, there is such a thing as innate intelligence, but having a childhood and lifestyle that provide an environment for honing these skills is crucial. For example, it turns out that standardized testing is a more reliable indicator of socioeconomic status than of anything else.   [caption id=“attachment_7968531” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Image by Grégory ROOSE from Pixabay.[/caption]

According to the latest research, men may not have better spatial awareness

While there are, in fact, some cognitive biological differences between male and female brains, they do not amount to what popular gender stereotypes suggest. A recent study published in Nature Scientific Reports suggests that there is no significant cognitive difference between the sexes with respect to spatial cognition. The findings run counter to the belief that men have superior visuospatial skills such as the ability to navigate or read maps.   The study, consisting of 100 participants of which 53 were female, completed a version of the mental rotations test (MRT). MRT involves looking at 2D or 3D shapes and predicting how they rotate. A shape is presented along with options on how the shape will look if it is rotated in a particular direction, and the participants have to pick correctly. MRTs are associated with spatial cognition competence. Using cutting edge eye-tracking technology, the researchers found that while males and females differed in how they perceived the rotations, there was no difference in their ability to complete the tasks.

Commonly held ‘gendered’ myths

While this was a small study that had its limitations, it allows us to visit various other misconceptions and myths surrounding the male-female divide. Here is a list of so-called ‘gendered differences’ that are not supported by scientific studies:

Myth 1: Girls are poor at math.

A meta-analysis involving over 3 million children between 1967 and 1987 compiled data from over 100 studies and found no overall differences in math performances between girls and boys. The findings changed somewhat with age; girls showed marginally better abilities in elementary school and boys showed slightly better performance in high school. These differences were not significant and nullified as the participants became older. This suggests that there is no static biological marker dictating cognitive abilities. Further, according to the authors, the differences are explained more by cultural norms and societal expectations.

Myth 2: Women are less confident and are poor at negotiating.

Variations of these claims are used to justify the gender pay gap and the fact that fewer females are in top managerial positions. Another meta-analysis that compiled data from over a 100 studies showed that a woman’s negotiating skills were no less than of a man’s - unless it involved self-advertisement or when the stakes of the negotiation were unclear. As for confidence, another major study that compiled data from 200 sources, found differences in confidence were statistically insignificant after the age of 23. The general commentary offered by researchers has an underlying pattern: the discrepancies we see around us are determined largely by societal expectations and roles.

Myth 3: Men are more career-driven.

Men are often expected to value building their careers over spending quality time with family. They are not given as much time off when they have a baby and are not expected to look after the day-to-day needs of their children. However, all this really shows is what society deems ‘right’ for males and females to do. Numerous studies have shown that people, regardless of their gender, would rather spend time with their families than single-mindedly promote their careers.   For more such articles, visit our section on   Women’s Health_. _  Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.