What is it about?
Gender differences in verbal ability have been long documented in psychology, but some researchers have claimed that they were declining over time or have been eliminated. To test whether they are still found in modern samples, we examined reading and writing ability in a sample of 3.4 million American students collected over the last three decades. Large and pervasive differences favouring females were found, with implications for educational practices.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Reading and writing literacy is an important predictor of occupational and educational success, and more women pursue college and higher education than men. Tackling gender differences in verbal ability is vital for achieving equity in educational outcomes
Perspectives
We have so much to learn about the social and psychological factors leading to educational disparities, but hard and credible data is needed to inform debates about educational practices and research funding into educational interventions. This makes a modest step towards providing such evidence
David Reilly
Griffith University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Gender differences in reading and writing achievement: Evidence from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)., American Psychologist, September 2018, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/amp0000356.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
