The changing face of cognitive gender differences in Europe.
The changing face of cognitive gender differences in Europe.
复制标题
欧洲认知性别差异的变化。
DOI：
10.1073/pnas.1319538111
复制
发表时间：
2014
影响因子：
11.1
通讯作者：
Herlitz,Agneta
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Weber,Daniela;Skirbekk,Vegard;Freund,Inga;Herlitz,Agneta
Cognitive gender differences and the reasons for their origins have fascinated researchers for decades. Using nationally representative data to investigate gender differences in cognitive performance in middle-aged and older populations across Europe, we show that the magnitude of these differences varies systematically across cognitive tasks, birth cohorts, and regions, but also that the living conditions and educational opportunities individuals are exposed to during their formative years are related to their later cognitive performance. Specifically, we demonstrate that improved living conditions and less gender-restricted educational opportunities are associated with increased gender differences favoring women in some cognitive functions (i.e., episodic memory) and decreases (i.e., numeracy) or elimination of differences in other cognitive abilities (i.e., category fluency). Our results suggest that these changes take place due to a general increase in women’s cognitive performance over time, associated with societal improvements in living conditions and educational opportunities.
