Pinker versus Spelke argument

My opinion 

Of both sides of the argument, I agree with Pinker's side more. This is due to the fact that he explains the nurture and nature side. He offers concrete arguments that explains the sex differences while also considering Spelke's argument without isolating her points.





Pinker :

1. There are three types of positions that discuss sex differences. Extreme "nature" position: that males but not females have the talents and temperaments necessary for science. Extreme "nurture" position: that males and females are biologically indistinguishable, and all relevant sex differences are products of socialization and bias. Intermediate positions: that the difference is explainable by some combination of biological differences in average temperaments and talents interacting with socialization and bias. Liz Spelke has embraced the extreme nurture position
2. Liz has said that there is "not a shred of evidence" for the biological factor, that "the evidence against there being an advantage for males in intrinsic aptitude is so overwhelming that it is hard for me to see how one can make a case at this point on the other side," and that "it seems to me as conclusive as any finding I know of in science."But I don't think that in any of them I would say there is "not a shred of evidence" for the other side, even if I think that the evidence favors one side.

By proving my point, I quoted a book called Sex Differences

1. in Cognitive Ability by Diane Halpern, a well known psychologists -(“Socialization practices are undoubtedly important, but there is also good evidence that biological sex differences play a role in establishing and maintaining cognitive sex differences”)
2. So the differences between the sexes are part of the human condition.  Sex is a problem in biology and sexual reproduction goes back years. I recognize that there is a theory namely Bob Trivers' theory of differential parental investment, which makes highly specific predictions about when you should expect sex differences and what they should look like. I also state that if we want to change this, we have to understand where the source of sex difference comes from. So, differences between the sexes are part of the human condition.``Casper and Lorinc:
   1. “there is a crucial conceptual difference between difference and discrimination”
   Therefore it is social influence, since women are discriminated at workplaces
   
   
   2. Biological Similarities to support discrimination:
   -General intelligence is at similar levels
   -Similar Cognitions
3. - However there are gender differences, both have their talents men are better at throwing, whilst women are more dexterous. Men are better at mentally rotating shapes; women are better at visual memory. Men are better at mathematical solvings whilst women are better at mathematical calculations.

   - (there are statistical differences in what men and women value differently) There are some things in life that the females rated higher than males, such as the ability to have a part-time career for a limited time in one's life; living close to parents and relatives; having a meaningful spiritual life; and having strong friendships

   - Men prioritize having lots of money; inventing or creating something; having a full-time career; and being successful in one's line of work.

   
   

   • Different jobs appeal to different genders, men want to work with things, whilst woman want to work with people. (working with people might be the director of a community service organization. The occupation that fits best with “things” are chemists, mathematicians, computer programs and biologists.

   
   

   3. Further on, according to studies women are biologically equal:

   -Talented

   -Encouraged in math and sciences

   -Have equal achievements

   -Satisfied

   -However, due to evolutionary /Biological dispositions, “men, on average, are more likely to chase status at the expense of their families;”

• For spatial ability, the advantage goes to women, but in "mental rotation,"spatial perception," and "spatial visualization" the advantage goes to men.

- However there are gender differences, both have their talents men are better at throwing, whilst women are more dexterous. Men are better at mentally rotating shapes; women are better at visual memory. Men are better at mathematical solvings whilst women are better at mathematical calculations.

- (there are statistical differences in what men and women value differently) There are some things in life that the females rated higher than males, such as the ability to have a part-time career for a limited time in one's life; living close to parents and relatives; having a meaningful spiritual life; and having strong friendships

- Men prioritize having lots of money; inventing or creating something; having a full-time career; and being successful in one's line of work.

• Different jobs appeal to different genders, men want to work with things, whilst woman want to work with people. (working with people might be the director of a community service organization. The occupation that fits best with “things” are chemists, mathematicians, computer programs and biologists.

3. Further on, according to studies women are biologically equal:

-Talented

-Encouraged in math and sciences

-Have equal achievements

-Satisfied

-However, due to evolutionary /Biological dispositions, “men, on average, are more likely to chase status at the expense of their families;”

4. Biological influences could apply, through risk taking.

-Evolutionary, as Pinker states, that women are less risk takers, just due to their gender

-In a large meta-analysis involving 150 studies and 100,000 participants, in 14 out of 16 categories of risk-taking, men were overrepresented.

Idan:

-Effectiveness of aptitude tests (people in science careers are in the 90th percentile for SAT math)

-In a science paper by Novell and Hedges, it was found that in 35 out of 37 tests, the male variance for test results was higher than that of the female variance

-IQ in Scotland, females predominate in the middle, and men slightly predominate at both extremes.

-In nature vs. nurture, one is not completely responsible for male dominance in work, but we try to prove that biology is greater than zero

-levels of sex hormones, difference in brain size and shapes

-in all cultures, greater involvement of women in child care, and men in competitiveness

-To analyze Personality, a cross-national survey was conducted which had consistent results across the different age groups for personality difference in genders.

- Diane Halpern analyzed results for cognitive tests across ten nations and concluded that the majority of the results showed cross cultural consistency between genders

-Despite feminist movements, very little change in personal life interests were seen for both genders

-sex differences seen in other mammals (among baby vervet monkeys, males prefer to play with trucks and females with other toys)

-sex differences in early childhood, (newborn baby boys prefer looking at an object, while newborn baby girls at a face)

-Boys grown up as girls from an early age, showed 'boyish' behaviour

-No difference between way boys and girls are treated by parents and treated

-prenatal sex hormones affect people's behaviour, girls with male hormones prenatally had 'boyish' traits

• with X chromosomes, people who have only x chromosomes showed that if the x chromosome came from the mom, they acted more like girls, and if they got it from the father, then they were less social and more technical.

Spelke >