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WOMEN AND SCIENCE:WHY PLASTIC BRAINS
AREN’T BREAKING THOUGHGLASS CEILINGS
Professor Gina Rippon,
Aston Brain Centre, Aston University.
UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN STEM:CAN’T OR DON’T? BLAME THE BRAIN!
Women unsuitable for STEM (the Google memo approach) The wrong skill set; the ‘map reading’ argument The wrong temperament/personality – Mars/Venus;
empathising-systemising The wrong preferences – people vs. things - the gender
paradox
STEM unsuitable for women Science as a male domain – gender gaps; expectations of
brilliance Science’s chilly climate – gender bias; lightbulbs or seeds; the
Matilda effect
TWO TYPES OF BODY = TWO TYPES OF BRAIN
2 TYPES OF BODY/2 TYPES OF BRAIN; FIXED, INEVITABLE, INVARIANT.
. …the distribution of preferences and abilities of men and women differ in part due to biological causes
“different availability of aptitude at the high
end“The chief distinction in the intellectual powers of the two sexes is [shown] by man attaining to a higher eminence, in whatever he takes up, than woman can attain.”-
• ….the underrepresentation of women — reflects “sound scientific evidence of gender differences in interests”.
21ST CENTURY – THESOCIAL BRAIN
21ST CENTURY BRAINS – PREDICTIVE, PLASTIC AND PERMEABLE.
UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN STEM:CAN’T OR DON’T? BLAME THE BRAIN!
Women unsuitable for STEM (the Google memo approach) The wrong skill set; the ‘map reading’ argument The wrong temperament/personality – Mars/Venus;
empathising-systemising The wrong preferences – people vs. things - the gender-
equality paradox
STEM unsuitable for women Science as a male domain – gender gaps; expectations of
brilliance Science’s chilly climate – gender bias; lightbulbs or seeds; the
Matilda effect
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “ON AVERAGE” AND “EFFECTSIZE” – SEX DIFFERENCES IN COGNITION
We have been researching issues of gender and STEM for more than 25 years, and we can say flatly that there is no evidence that women’s biology makes them incapable of performing at the highest levels in any STEM fields. Barnett, R and Rivers, C. (2017)
PLASTICITY - X-BOX OR XY CHROMOSOMES?
The female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy
The male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems.
“your sex does not dictate your brain type – not all men have the male brain, and not all women have the female brain.”
PEOPLE VS. THINGS
82%
29.2%
2.4%
63%
“The differences emerge from a seemingly rational choice to pursue academic paths that are a personal strength….
UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN STEM:CAN’T OR DON’T? BLAME THE BRAIN!
Women unsuitable for STEM (the Google memo approach) The wrong skill set; the ‘map reading’ argument The wrong temperament/personality – Mars/Venus;
empathising-systemising The wrong preferences – people vs. things - the gender-
equality paradox
STEM unsuitable for women Science as a male domain – gender gaps; expectations of
brilliance Science’s chilly climate – gender bias; lightbulbs or seeds; the
Matilda effect
THE SOCIAL BRAIN: THE WORLD AS A BRAIN INFLUENCER –
THE POWER OF STEREOTYPES
THE WORLD AS A BRAIN INFLUENCER: GENDERED EDUCATION, GENDERED EXPECTATIONS
SCIENTIST STEREOTYPES – DO I BELONG?
GENDERED ACHIEVEMENT, GENDERED EXPECTATIONS
UNDER-REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN IN STEM:CAN’T OR DON’T? BLAME THE BRAIN!
Women unsuitable for STEM (the Google memo approach) The wrong skill set; the ‘map reading’ argument The wrong temperament/personality – Mars/Venus;
empathising-systemising The wrong preferences – people vs. things - the gender paradox
STEM unsuitable for women Science as a male domain – gender gaps; expectations of
brilliance Science’s chilly climate – gender bias; lightbulbs or seeds; the
Matilda effect
