David Reilly|David L. Neumann|Glenda Andrews
Gender differences in reading and writing achievement: Evidence from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
Griffith University|Griffith University|Menzies School of Health Research|Griffith University|Menzies School of Health Research
frequently observed research finding females outperform males tasks verbal language abilities considerable variability effect sizes sample samplethe gold standard evaluating gender differences cognitive ability recruit large demographically representative samplewe examined three decades us student achievement reading writing national assessment educational progress naep determine magnitude gender differences n 39 million whether declining time claimed feingold 1994differences reading smalltomedium 32 grade 12 medium sized writing 55 grade 12 stable timeadditionally pronounced imbalances gender ratios lowerleft upperright tails ability spectrum factor 2 moresuch pattern results contrary hydes 2005 gender similarities hypothesis holds gender differences cognition small males females similar performanceeducational implications findings discussedthe question whether males females differ cognitive abilities focus considerable research recent decadeswhile general consensus males females differ general intelligence halpern 2000 gender differences commonly observed specific cognitive abilities visualspatial ability voyer voyer bryden 1995 language miller halpern 2013however hyde 2005 p 581 proposed gender similarities hypothesis gsh claimed males females similar psychological variablesthat men women well boys girls alike differentit holds gender differences small trivial close zero magnitudeone exception hypothesis may gender gap reading achievement found crossculturally lynn mikk 2009reilly 2012 exceeds threshold proposed hyde grabe 2008 p 170 nontrivial gender difference effect sizes 10in recent review hyde 2014 p 382 remarked difficult reconcile magnitude gender gap observed reading domains verbal ability egvocabulary anagrams hyde linn 1988 claimed typically much smaller