What I assume is that "they", the ones who make social policy, will decide that males are wired one way and females wired another, on the basis of averages, instead of individual abilities.
I fully appreciate your concern about misuse of the data.
I don't think group averages matter in the least. Only individuals matter.
I agree that it's individuals that matter. The way we best serve individual differences is to recognize that there are multiple ways to process information and to use the entire toolkit so we can reach each individual. We already cater to this to the extent that we know enough.
For example, some people process words better and others process pictures better. We typically explain survey results, for example, in words and then supplement that with a graph so that both the "left brainers" and the "right brainers" have something that resonates.
Some people learn better by doing. I happen to not be one of them so I am well aware of how problematic it can be to train people only that way. I'm fortunate that my school work was over while lectures were still the primary teaching tool. I can't learn anything unless I have a conceptual framework from which to work. I think top down. If I'm given a framework, I'll use it. If not, I fumble along until I get enough experience to construct one. Waste of time. And very awkward.
I was struck by one difference in thinking during the second generation of computer systems development when systems became more complex and programming became modular and hierarchical. So many people in the biz were linear thinkers. They'd try to do flow charts that were miles long and they stumbled. The top down thinkers were the ones who advanced. Once I figured this out, hiring decisions became no-brainers.
I mention these various anecdotes because I'm fascinated by the different ways that people approach problems and because, as a "minority" thinker, I appreciate how much our understanding of such things optimizes the individual both for his sake and for the sake of society. I hate to see studies designed to focus on differences between men and women at the expense of other variables. And I hate to see multi-dimentional studies corrupted by policy idiots and run-of-the-mill bigots. But we can't be flat-earthers, either. Too much lost opportunity. |
