Deck 4: Sex-Related Comparisons Observations

Question 1

What are the four domains in which Maccoby and Jacklin concluded there were sex differences in their narrative review of the literature?

Answer 1

(1) verbal ability (advantage girls)
(2) visual-spatial ability (advantage boys)
(3) mathematical ability (advantage boys)
(4) aggression (greater in boys).

Question 2

What are the advantages of meta-analysis over a narrative review?

Answer 2

First, with meta-analysis you can quantify the size of the sex difference.
Second, with meta-analysis you can identify moderator variables-variables that may influence the size of the sex difference

Question 3

What is the "file-drawer problem?" and how does it affect the conclusions drawn from a meta-analysis?

Answer 3

The file-drawer problem refers to the idea that studies have been conducted that are not published; they are in people's file drawers. It is likely that these studies are ones that do not find a sex difference. Thus, the overall effect may be biased by the omission of these non-published studies.

Question 4

How might the nature of the object explain the sex difference in the mental rotation task?

Question 5

How does the selectiveness of the sample influence the size of the sex difference in math?

Question 6

How does the selectiveness of the sample influence the size of the sex difference in verbal abilities?

Question 7

How does the methodology influence the size of the sex difference in empathy?

Question 8

Who helps more - women or men?

Question 9

How does the type of aggression influence the size of the sex difference?

Question 10

How does provocation moderate sex differences in aggression? What are the implications of this for understanding real-world aggression?

Question 11

What is erotic plasticity, and what is the evidence for it?

Question 12

What is the difference between a morality based on deontology vs. utilitarianism?

Question 13

Is there a sex difference in charitable giving?

Question 14

Imagine that someone told you that they found sex differences in a personality trait called ZZGG, such that men scored higher than women. Given what you have read in Chapter 4, what are three moderators you might examine, and why?

Question 15

What is the "sex similarities hypothesis?"

Question 16

Which is a weakness of a narrative review?

A) The review does not take into consideration effect size.
B) There is no way to distinguish methodologically strong from methodologically weak studies.
C) Results are influenced by small samples.
D) All of these are weaknesses.

Question 17

Why is meta-analysis better for understanding an area of research than a narrative review?

A) Meta-analysis takes into consideration the effect sizes
B) Researchers can examine how other variables influence effect sizes
C) It helps to quantify the results of a group of studies
D) All of the above

Question 18

Which of the following is true about the file-drawer problem?

A) It is a problem with meta-analysis and narrative reviews.
B) It is not a problem with meta-analysis or narrative reviews.
C) It is a problem with meta-analysis but not a narrative review.
D) It is a problem with a narrative review but not meta-analysis.

Question 19

Which of the following domains did not show a sex difference in Maccoby and Jacklin's seminal review?

A) math
B) self-esteem
C) verbal
D) aggression

Question 20

Which of the following sex differences in spatial abilities is large and has not changed over time?

A) spatial perception
B) mental rotation
C) spatial visualization
D) all of the above

Question 21

Which of the following are moderators of sex differences in math ability?

A) Socioeconomic status
B) selectiveness of the sample
C) gender equality of the country
D) all of the above

Question 22

Which of the following regarding sex differences in math is true?

A) Sex differences in math favor boys
B) Both girls and boys label math as a masculine field
C) Sex differences disappear in highly select samples
D) Boys and girls have equally negative attitudes towards math

Question 23

Which of the following statements regarding sex differences in verbal ability is true?

A) There is a large sex difference, favoring females, but the difference is decreasing over time
B) There is a large sex difference, favoring males, but the difference is increasing over time
C) There is a small sex difference, favoring females, but the difference is decreasing over time
D) There is a small sex difference, favoring males, but the difference is increasing over time

Question 24

Which way of measuring empathy shows the largest sex differences?

A) self-report
B) observational
C) physiological
D) neurological

Question 25

Which of the following about aggression is false?

A) Men are more likely than women to be the victims of physical aggression
B) Men are more likely than women to be the perpetrators of physical aggression
C) Sex differences increase under conditions of provocation
D) None of these is false.

Question 26

Which of the following is true about same-sex sexual behavior?

A) Reports have increased over time.
B) Men are more likely than women to identify as bisexual.
C) More women than men are only attracted to the same sex.
D) All of the above.

Question 27

Which of the following is consistent with the theory of erotic plasticity?

A) Sexual behavior has changed more for males than females over time.
B) There is greater variation in women's than men's sexual behavior across cultures
C) Men and women are equally likely to be bisexual.
D) The situation influences men's sexual behavior more than women's sexual behavior.

Question 28

A utilitarianism view of morality is based on:

A) the consequences of one's actions
B) whether an action is consistent with one's moral norms
C) one's connections to others
D) emphasizes separation from others

Question 29

What is the "sex similarities hypothesis?"

A) The idea that research focuses on difference rather than similarities
B) That there is a similarities hypothesis that remains untested.
C) The majority of differences between men and women are very small.
D) All of the above.

Question 30

A moderator variable is:

A) A variable that explains the relation between two variables
B) A variable that affects the relation between the independent and dependent variable
C) also called a mechanism
D) another name for an effect size.