*HOF POST* My take on why girls tend to perform better than boys in school

[YoungDemCA]

Basically, I think that the different ways in which boys and girls are socialized (from a very early age) has something to do with this phenomenon - which really exists primarily among children from poorer backgrounds and from families of color (i.e. black, Latino, Native American, certain Asian communities...)

Generally, women/girls tend to have (or at the very least, they display) more social awareness (i.e. social skills) than men/boys - across different social backgrounds. What that means for children - specifically, from already socially marginalized groups is that boys are more likely to overtly display stereotypically "male" traits in ways that are punished by authority figures (and not just in the classroom....). By contrast, girls/women from all backgrounds are taught to be excessively polite and deferential (traits which generally serve them well in school, but tend to hold them back in the workplace...)

This gap, FWW, isn't as prominent in wealthier households (particularly those with highly educated parents), and I suspect that has something to do with the fact that middle and upper class children in general have so many more advantages - socially, economically, etc. - than poorer children that people don't notice/care as much.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. About a year ago, I heard an NPR report on an academic study of women/girls in school and ...

in the workplace. The study concluded that the qualities that "girls" develop that have them successful in school, holds them back in the workplace. The study identified "following the rules", as a key trait. By "following the rules", one does will in school; but, hurts you in the workplace.

One part of the study looked at self-selecting out of jobs opportunities ... the study found (something like) 85% of women, would not apply for a position for which they met most; but not all, of the job's posted minimum qualifications (vs. 30% of males) and 75% of women would not apply for a position that had a top salary range below what they were seeking (vs. 25% of males). And, in both cases, when interviewed later by the researchers, 98% of the self-selecting women indicated they did so, because "the job post said ..."

I'll try and find the study.

[YoungDemCA]

2. That sounds intriguing

Thanks.

[1StrongBlackMan]

3. Sorry ... I was suppose to be looking for the study ...

but forgot. I would plead old-age induced forgetfulness, but that would be met with an avalanche of ageism claims!

I'll make it my "in between Superbowl commercials" project. Stay tuned.

[ismnotwasm]

4. An interesting take

i think that it may have started out this way, but as girls gain ground there must be another factor. Historically boys out performed girls in math, for instance as math was considered a male purview. This has changed, as focusing gender bias in classrooms make biases apparent. Are girls gaining or are boys slipping, is also a question

[GeoWilliam750]

5. I think there are several factors that may be at play here

One might be boys' obsession with video games which eats up a significant amount of time in the 6-18 year old time frame, thus reducing time spent studying (or socialising, or playing sports, or dating, etc.).

A second might be that having been through a tremendous amount of hardship in their struggle towards equality and fairness, mothers might push daughters far harder than they push sons, as they know the deck is stacked against daughters. I think that this attitude, once internalised, stays with women through the rest of their lives.

Potentially a third factor is that with smaller families, mothers of sons may tend to spoil them more than they spoil their daughters - this seems to be the case in the families of sons in my circle of acquaintance, anyway.

These are simply observations, and may or may not have substance. It is interesting, however, that at my daughter's very good high school, something like 13 or 14 of the top 20 academic achievers were girls. Also, most of the top marks at her university were also from young women. We are also increasingly hearing that US universities are trying to keep the gender balance from going to far from even, and thus are accepting young men with lower scores than young women.

On balance or on average, it already seems that young women are smarter than young men, and I have known many exasperated young women who have to lower their level of conversation in their dating because the young men simply are not their intellectual equals. I find this very sad on so many levels, and it does not bode well for the society as a whole.

P.S. It is good to see you here as I have really missed the ladies of HoF. There used to be so many good discussions from which I learned a great deal. Hoping to see you more often.