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| Men cleverer than women, say scientists |
| 2005-08-25 |
| Men cleverer than women, say scientists ANDREW DENHOLM, Education Correspondent August 25 2005 MEN have larger brains – and higher IQs – than women, according to a controversial new study. In a paper for the British Journal of Psychology, which is bound to reignite the academic row about gender differences, one of Britain's most controversial academics argues that men are more likely than women to win Nobel prizes and gain academic distinction because they are more intelligent. Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology at Ulster University, who has caused outrage in the past with claims that white people are more intelligent than blacks and that criminal traits are genetic, will publish the work with Paul Irwing, senior lecturer in organisational psychology at Manchester University. Professor Lynn believes that the differences between the sexes make men better suited to "tasks of high complexity" than their female counterparts. Dr Irwing told The Times Higher Education Supplement that he would prefer it if their research was wrong. However, after resolving to put "scientific truth" above his personal views, he said he had concluded that there was a very strong case that men not only had larger brains, but had a higher IQ, by about five points, compared with women. The paper will argue that, while many academics have denied any IQ difference, those who have acknowledged a difference have argued that it is too small to be significant. Dr Irwing said: "We do not think that a five IQ point difference can be so easily dismissed." He said that the difference meant there was a much higher proportion of men with higher IQs, with three men to each woman with an IQ above 130 and 5.5 men for each woman with an IQ above 145. "These different proportions of men and women with high IQ scores are clearly worth speaking of and may go some way to explaining the greater numbers of men achieving distinctions of various kinds for which a high IQ is required, such as chess grandmasters, Fields medallists for mathematics, Nobel prizewinners and the like," he said. The researchers acknowledge that women now outnumber men at every level of educational achievement, with the sole exception of PhD level, and conclude that the IQ difference cannot sufficiently explain gender inequalities in the workplace – where men still grossly outnumber women at the highest levels. The paper will argue that there is evidence that at the same level of IQ women are able to "achieve more" than men, "possibly because they are more conscientious and better adapted to sustained periods of hard work". And it will cite a previous study has concluded that IQs in the region of 125 are adequate to "ascend to all levels in the labour market". "The small male advantage in IQ is, therefore, likely to be of most significance for tasks of high complexity," said Dr Irwing. Professor Lynn has been accused of racism over his theories and has also been criticised for receiving funding from the New York-based Pioneer Fund, which was said to have had Nazi connections in the 1930s. He also forecast that genetic engineering combined with natural trends would turn the advanced and the developing countries into two worlds – one a stable, rich society of intelligent individuals, the other populated by people of low IQ and beset by poverty and famine. Testing questions 1 Three swans and one cat have a total of 11 legs. True or False? 2 If you hang an ordinary wall clock upside down when the time is 3.30pm, the hour hand will point right. True or False? 3 You get 10 pieces of cake by making five diagonal cuts through its centre. True or False? 4 If Marc is taller than Nick and Craig is shorter than Marc, Marc is the tallest. True or False? 5 Three of the following numbers add up to 29: 15, 12, 6, 3, 1. True or False? 5 correct = Superior intelligence 4 correct = Normal intelligence 3 correct = Dullness 2 correct = Borderline deficiency 1 correct = Feeble-mindedness Go to next page for answers |
| Posted by:sea cruise |
| #19 I've seen reports on this as saying that the male IQ distribution has a greater standard deviation. There are more males at the high end and at the low end. After all, more men and women get Darwin Awards. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2005-08-25 22:31 |
| #18 I've known a couple of women that probably had more prostate problems than men. |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-08-25 21:11 |
| #17 If men are so much more clever, how come most societies expect them to do the heavy work, support a family, and take out the garbage? You gals ddo garbage too? superb. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-08-25 21:10 |
| #16 Anyone who has worked with programmers know this is true, but women compensate by being better at cooperative tasks. If you want a one person star then get a man, but if you need a team, then hire women. Cooperative tasks, like accompanying one another to the lady's room. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-08-25 21:09 |
| #15 We also have more prostate trouble than women. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2005-08-25 21:05 |
| #14 yep - that's why women buy men drinks in bars.....oh, wait.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-08-25 20:01 |
| #13 Some how I don't equate "clever" with intelligence. Weasels and monkeys are clever, they are not however intelligent. All my Wife expects of me is to love her and defend her with my life if necessary. I do the other stuff I do because I want to not because she makes me or expects it, She doesn't. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet 0´ Doom 2005-08-25 19:47 |
| #12 Looks like Ulster University is about to build a 50 million pound Women's Studies building... Oh, come on now! Where are they going to find 50 million pound women? [There, I'll leave that straight line just lying there.] If men are so much more clever, how come most societies expect them to do the heavy work, support a family, and take out the garbage? Actually, in a lot of societies, women are expected to do that work, while the men sit around and rest themselves in case the village is attacked by...mammoths. Yeah, that's it. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2005-08-25 19:38 |
| #11 ACLU="American Commie Leftist Union?" |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-08-25 19:33 |
| #10 If men are so much more clever, how come most societies expect them to do the heavy work, support a family, and take out the garbage? |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2005-08-25 19:30 |
| #9 Men cleverer than women, say scientists Don't tell the women. The ACLU is waiting for their call.. |
| Posted by: BigEd 2005-08-25 19:28 |
| #8 Anyone who has worked with programmers know this is true, but women compensate by being better at cooperative tasks. If you want a one person star then get a man, but if you need a team, then hire women. Here is his bio. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-08-25 18:37 |
| #7 Obviously not a Harvard study. |
| Posted by: Elmemble Ulaitch5567 2005-08-25 18:17 |
| #6 What's ur IQ? HREF='http://web.tickle.com/tests/uiq/index-pop.jsp?sid=2003&supp=search_iq_test&z='> |
| Posted by: Bonehead 2005-08-25 18:02 |
| #5 Atlanta! |
| Posted by: Half 2005-08-25 17:53 |
| #4 Looks like Ulster University is about to build a 50 million pound Women's Studies building... |
| Posted by: BH 2005-08-25 17:52 |
| #3 Richard Lynn, emeritus professor of psychology So, does that make him more or less credible than your garden-variety witch doctor? "Emeritus" means that he's retired, and "psychology" means he isn't a real scientist - he's a social scientist. I suppose I ought to be glad that he isn't a professor emeritus of sociology. Those rank just below "fishwife" on the Scientific Expert Scale o' Credibility. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2005-08-25 17:45 |
| #2 I would say that Captain (America) and the retired professor, Richard Lynn, are going to be human lighting rods. |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-08-25 17:40 |
| #1 This is news? Seems self-evident to me. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-08-25 17:29 |