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From what I've studied relating to gender differences with math, boys and girls actually start out the same, but as they get older you start to find differences at the same time as many girls start claiming to be 'not good at math.' This also correlates with adults giving more praise for boys' successes in math and more sympathy for girls' difficulty with math, even when the two groups are having the same number of successes and failures. Unfortunately I don't know what studies that information is based on, though. This would suggest that the difference is based more on culture than biology. It's definitely true that different parts of the brain are more involved in math and language, but I don't know if there are gender differences in those structures. I do know that boys are more likely to have many types of communication disorders, though, so there may be some difference.
However, it does seem like people who have the stereotype that boys are good at math and girls are good at language could apply that stereotype to people on the spectrum. On the other hand, people like that seem more likely to assume that if you don't fit their stereotype of aspie/autism then you must not have it at all. Stereotypes are obnoxious. Even if they are based on something that is true in a general sense, they ignore all possibility of variation. Even if many aspies are good at math, that doesn't mean all aspies are good at math.
Personally, I was terrible at spelling, but I blame a school that seemed to think we would pick it up by osmosis instead of teaching us the rules or telling us when we asked how to spell a word. I still cringe at the memory of "use your best guess spelling". Just tell me the right way and I'll do it the right way forever! I only got decent at it after a few years of spending all my free time reading. I mostly enjoy math and my writing is pretty good, so I guess I have pretty good skills in both areas.
I remember learning about that! And because of that, math is easier for them early on, which gives them more positive feelings towards math and their own math skills, which then leads to better math performance throughout their education. Meanwhile, they are growing up with a cultural expectation that math is something everyone can do, as opposed to America where some people almost seem to brag about how much they hate math.Also throw in a few Asians... there's a stereotype about their superior ability at math.
I read somewhere that it was partly down to their number system.
Everyone has a short term memory of a similar time length.
When remembering numbers,doing simple sums, the western system of numbers is more difficult to work with on that basis than some other countries.
ie sums can be kept in short term memory much better giving the appearance of superior ability.
Oh, and I just remembered a study that took a bunch of young women with Asian ancestry and split them randomly into two groups to take a math test. For one group the researchers reminded them that they were Asian and I think reminded them of stereotypes about Asians and math, and for the other group the researchers reminded them about women and stereotypes about women and math. There was a significant difference in the performance of the two groups, suggesting that stereotypes can affect actual performance.Also throw in a few Asians... there's a stereotype about their superior ability at math.
I read somewhere that it was partly down to their number system.
Everyone has a short term memory of a similar time length.
When remembering numbers,doing simple sums, the western system of numbers is more difficult to work with on that basis than some other countries.
ie sums can be kept in short term memory much better giving the appearance of superior ability.
Oh, and I just remembered a study that took a bunch of young women with Asian ancestry and split them randomly into two groups to take a math test. For one group the researchers reminded them that they were Asian and I think reminded them of stereotypes about Asians and math, and for the other group the researchers reminded them about women and stereotypes about women and math. There was a significant difference in the performance of the two groups, suggesting that stereotypes can affect actual performance.
That's interesting - some Americans do seem to brag about having poor Math skills.I remember learning about that! And because of that, math is easier for them early on, which gives them more positive feelings towards math and their own math skills, which then leads to better math performance throughout their education. Meanwhile, they are growing up with a cultural expectation that math is something everyone can do, as opposed to America where some people almost seem to brag about how much they hate math.
If, in general men are supposed to be better at Math and women better at spelling, then why doesn't anyone ever consider that about autism? Aspie men great at Math, aspie women great at Spelling. Letter for aspie women are like numbers for aspie men. Why has that not been approached yet? (Or has it and I'm not aware of it?)
I know it doesn't apply to all - but you know what I mean.