The belief that various characteristics or traits are innate to particular classes of objects or subjects; the philosophical belief that all entities of a certain kind must possess certain characteristics independent of context. One application of essentialist thinking is that women are born with superior language skills, while men are born with superior math skills. Such reasoning does not occlude the possibility of other traits or externalities (such as how a child is raised), but those traits are not seen as being determinate of the essential characteristic, or essence, of the group.
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(2012). Essentialism. In: Seel, N.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_2156
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