The science on women and science / Christina Hoff Sommers, editor.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Sommers, Christina Hoff.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Women in science.

Sex discrimination against women.

Sex differences in education.

Physical Description:

x, 330 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : AEI Press ; Summit, PA : Distributed to the trade by National Book Network, [2009]

Summary:

Women have achieved or exceeded parity with men in most academic fields but continue to be outnumbered in the physical sciences, engineering, and math. For many equity activists, this imbalance constitutes a serious problem, even a "crisis," necessitating federal oversight to prevent gender bias in higher education and scientific industries. Congress, the Obama administration, and many science and education leaders are considering dramatic measures to improve women's prospects in the sciences. But what if claims of gender bias have been exaggerated?

In 2007, the National Academy of Sciences released Beyond Bias And Barriers: Fulfilling the Promise of Women in Academic Science and Engineering, an influential study suggesting that women face a hostile environment in the laboratory. The NAS report dismissed the possibility that gender disparities in scientific fields might be attributable to biological differences and called for immediate remedial action in education, government, and business. This volume examines the research behind the NAS's claims and presents a more balanced analysis of the gender gap.

Scientific research on the relationship between gender and vocation is complex, vibrant, and full of reasonable disagreements. Some scholars agree that discrimination is the best explanation for the current configuration of men and women in science, but others, perhaps a majority, suggest that biology and considered preference explain why men and women follow different career paths. The Science on Women and Science is a lively, readable, and balanced collection of articles by distinguished scholars from both sides of an often-contentious debate.

Contents:

1 Why So Few Women in Math and Science? / Simon Baron-Cohen 7

Sex Differences in the General Population 11

Female Advantage in Empathy 15

Culture and Biology 18

Conclusions 18

Notes 20

References 21

2 Gender, Math, and Science / Elizabeth S. Spelke, Katherine Ellison 24

Gender Differences in Intrinsic Aptitude for Math and Science? 25

Gender Differences in Intrinsic Motivation for Mathematics and Science? 38

Toward an Understanding of the Gender Gap 40

Conclusions and Prospects 44

Notes 45

References 48

3 A History of Structural Barriers to Women in Science: From Stone Walls to Invisible Walls / Rosalind Chait Barnett, Laura Sabattini 54

Renaissance Men and Science 55

Renaissance Women and Science 57

Access to Education for American Women in Science 59

Employment for Women Scientists 61

Advancement Opportunities 64

Receiving Appropriate Recognition for Scientific Accomplishments 65

Addressing Gender Inequality in Science: A Structural Approach 69

Notes 74

References 76

4 Sex, Science, and the Economy / Christina Hoff Sommers 79

Notes 97

References 100

5 Low Numbers: Stereotypes and the Underrepresentation of Women in Math and Science / Joshua Aronson 104

Stereotype Threat 107

Stereotype Threat in the Real World 114

"Controversial" Issues in Stereotype Threat 117

Conclusion: The Grand Experiment 125

Notes 127

References 129

6 Stereotype Threat: A Case of Overclaim Syndrome? / Amy L. Wax 132

Relative Magnitude 137

The Skill Baseline 148

The Scope of ST's Influence 150

Cherry-Picking: The Selective Operation of ST 153

ST Study Design: Answering the Unanswered Questions 154

ST and the Problem of Pervasive Disparity 158

Notes 162

References 167

7 An Evolutionary Twist on Sex, Mathematics, and the Sciences / David C. Geary 170

Evolution 171

Human Evolution 175

Evolution, Mathematics, and the Sciences 178

Sex Differences 181

Conclusion 183

Notes 185

References 187

8 Cognition and the Brain: Sex Matters / Richard J. Haier 190

Uncertainty in the Field 191

Certainty at the NAS 193

Some Relevant Brain Data 195

Offense and Myth 197

Conclusion 198

Notes 200

References 201

9 Women, Men, and the Sciences / Jerre Levy, Doreen Kimura 202

The Biology of Sex Determination 203

Sex Differences in Cognitive and Behavioral Functions 206

Cross-Generational and Cross-Cultural Comparisons 221

Behavioral Sex Difference in Infants 226

Biological Influences in Early Life on Behavioral Sex Differences 227

Individual Differences in Hormone Levels and Cognitive Abilities 236

Fluctuations within Individuals in Hormones and Cognition 238

Sex Differences in the Brain 242

Men and Women: Values, Interests, and Talents 247

Talents and Achievements 250

Facts and Fictions about Women in Science 256

Conclusions 258

Appendix to Chapter 9 260

Notes 261

References 267

Conclusion: Why It All Matters and What Is To Be Done / Charles Murray 285

Notes 297

References 299.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780844742816

0844742813

OCLC:

318421289