Centre questions findings of IQ study

An UK Resource Centre for Women in SET product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 30, 2005

The UKRC has responded to controversial news that a study will be published later this year in British Journal of Psychology, which will claim that men are more intelligent than women.

The UK Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (UKRC) has responded to controversial news that a study will be published later this year in British Journal of Psychology, which will claim that men are more intelligent than women.

Academics Paul Irwing and Professor Lynn from Manchester University claim that the study, which was based on IQ tests given to 80,000 people and a further study of 20,000 students, shows that beyond the age of 14 and into adulthood there is a an IQ difference of five points between men and women.

The academics used a test designed to measure "general cognitive ability" - spatial and verbal.

As intelligence scores among the study group rose, it is claimed that a widening gap between the sexes became evident.

At scores of 155, which is associated with genius, there were 5.5 men for every woman.

A UKRC spokesperson today said: "Well-accepted research has found that expectations can heavily influence performance, particularly on tests".

"If society, the media, teachers, and other key influencers expect (overtly or subconsciously) that girls and women will not perform as well as boys and men, there is a strong chance that many will not perform as well".

"So what we need to ask is: who devised the test? Was a representative sample used? And were environmental and cultural factors taken into account?".

"There are clearly a lot of aspects of this research that we are not yet aware of".

The UKRC has also questioned the reliability and implications of the study, commenting: "Many researchers acknowledge that IQ tests only measure a limited aspect of intelligence and so fail to take into account the full spectrum of mental ability".

"One must also ask what is the relevancy and implications of these findings?".

"Research has shown that IQ scores are not directly linked to educational attainment or economic success".

"That women continue to outperform men at GCSE and A-level would seemingly illustrate that".

Earlier this year the UKRC - which works to increase the participation of women in scientific careers in the UK - criticised a speech made by the president of Harvard University in the USA.

Dr Lawrence Summers suggested that women underperform in science because of innate differences between the sexes.

UKRC Director, Annette Williams, said: "The fear is that this type of message will filter down to young women and lead them to doubt their ability or deter them from pursing a scientific discipline".

"We must not allow this to happen".

"The very suggestion that women are biologically less capable than men is as ludicrous as it is dangerous, and completely ignores evidence in the UK of girls outperforming boys in their academic careers".

The Harvard President caused international outrage and he has since apologised on several occasions for his comments.