Professional Documents
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Whilst these inquiries into the anatomical bases for this language are
understandably important, cognitive performance is not always reflected
in morphology of cortical substrates but rather through interaction with
neural plasticity (Ungerleider, 2002). A key example of this is in musically
inclined individuals, where areas of music-related brain activity are largely
plastic (Rauschecker, 2001). Johnson and Bouchard (2007) provided some
of the most pertinent as well as recent findings in this area. The rationale
behind their study was to demonstrate that a female language advantage
existed independently of general intelligence. Scores in verbal ability,
adjusted to remove the effects of general intelligence, favoured females,
whilst full scores showed little to no sex differences. This indicated that as
general intelligence was able to mask the effects of sex differences in
specialised abilities. With processes involved in general intelligence, able
to compensate for specific language-based abilities, intersex differences in
these abilities may be more to do with the way in which this neural
plasticity is able to compensate, rather than differences in specific
language areas.
This notion, whilst more difficult to validate, is in line with some of the
early theories of sexual dimorphism in language, specifically those of
Sherman (1978). The bent twig hypothesis, as it was known, is based on
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1996; Harrison and Tunbridge, 2007). One of the obvious areas it raises
questions in is gender equality. Do the ability differences discussed
provide grounds for some areas of inequality, or, conversely, are
inequalities further promoting these differences? Brown and Corcoran
(1996) used longitudinal studies to investigate differences in school
content between males and females. It was found that, tending to the
previously found areas of strength, males were exposed to more special
tasks while females towards more language. The study continued to track
their performance in these areas with the ultimate goal of translating
these differences into wage differences in their career placements (Brown
and Corcoran, 1996). Whilst evidence was found for an increase in malefemale performance gaps, these did not equate to the wage gap present.
As this inequality exists external to any measure of performance, it
suggests that it is not as a result of sexual dimorphism but rather an issue
unto itself. Studies highlighting the difference in role placement in jobs,
however, would be more relevant. Education is one of the ideal areas to
look at for this as, all things being equal, particular areas of performance
should be reflected in the areas of teaching placement. In schooling
reviews, it has been found that in general there are 75% more female
teachers than males and yet males make up over 75% of maths and
science teachers (U.S. Department of Education, 2014; Davies and
Meighan, 1975). This is in line with respective areas of performance.
Whether this is something that needs to be changed is largely subjective.
If a particular gender is able to better fulfil a particular role then is it
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