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Sex differences in cognitive abilities and sex-role stereotypes in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents

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Abstract

A study was conducted to test the hypothesis that sex differences in patterns of cognitive ability could be accounted for by variation in identification with sex-role stereotypes. Hong Kong Chinese adolescents from two different age groups served as subjects. Sex differences were discovered in patterns of performance on a battery of cognitive tests, with males performing better on tests of spatial ability and females performing better on tests of fluent production. Sex differences in sex-role identification were also discovered. There were, however, no significant relationships between sex-role identification and patterns of ability. Biological sex was found to be the best predictor of a male or female pattern of performance. A reformulation of a sex-role identification hypothesis appears to be warranted on the basis of these data. Suggestions for further research on the relationships among sex-role identification, cultural values, and personal adjustment are also presented.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard University, USA

    Susan Keyes

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  1. Susan Keyes
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This report is based on a doctoral dissertation submitted to the faculty of Harvard University. The research was supported by a National Research Service Award, National Institutes of Health Grant 5-T32-MH14088, awarded to Beatrice Whiting and John Whiting to support graduate research in cross-cultural child development.

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Keyes, S. Sex differences in cognitive abilities and sex-role stereotypes in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Sex Roles 9, 853–870 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00289959

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