Lecture notes

Individual Differences In Learning

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Module
5003PY Psychological Perspectives (5003PY)

Institution
Coventry University (West Midlands) (CU)

5003PY Psychological Perspectives (2) Year 2, Lecture Summary on Individual Differences in Learning Key topics: biological determinist, social determinist, nature via nurture, sex differences. These lecture notes provide a summary of the individual differences between genders in how they l...

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Uploaded on April 30, 2023
Number of pages 5
Written in 2022/2023
Type Lecture notes
Professor(s) Rachael davies
Contains Year 2, week 10, 2022 - 2023

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5003PY
Psychological Perspectives
Learning Gender & Individual Differences

Definition “Learning is associated with changes in mental
representations that can manifest themselves in
behavioural changes,” (Stern, 2017)
Therefore, individual differences must be
differentiated from changes that originate from
internal processes, such as maturation or illnesses

Le Bon (1879) Wide-reaching implications that women are inferior
in intelligence – brain size is smaller
Prior to 1870 Forster Act Education was voluntary
Educating females was unnecessary due to the
‘natural’ sex differences
Inclusion of girls in education was Therefore, women more likely to work in domestic
politically and socially driven to increase service/ motherhood, whereas men more likely to
sanitation and decrease infant mortality work in labour markets

Sex does not = gender
Gender difference = socially determined
Sex difference = innate biologically
determined

Biological Determinist (Essentialism) e.g., males and females are diff’ due to innate factors
such as genetics/ biology
Therefore, stable (across time and context) and
universal (cross culturally)

Social Determinist e.g., males and females’ characteristics diff’ due to
exposure to diff social factors, such as experience
with toys
Therefore, flexible (open to change) and culturally
specific

Important to differentiate the origins of Bio diff’ indicate less flexibility – inherent and
individual differences (between bio and predetermined
social)
Modern thinking acknowledges that no difference
exists independently from the environment
Acquired diff’ more open to intervention However, if a characteristic is seen to be genetically
and change inherited = interventions have a reduced effect on
changing behaviour compared to characteristics that
Arise from context/ culture specific to the are socially acquired through learning
individual

Nature via Nurture Learning occurs due to an interaction with the
environment to adapt to personal needs in the
Stern (2017) external world (p.1)

, e.g., an individual is predisposed to being tall,
however this can only happen through the
environment, such as through nutrition and good
health

Sex Differences in Learning Meta-analysis revealed only three differences
between sexes:
Maccoby & Jacklin (1974)
Verbal, spatial and maths ability
Differences within the males and within the females >
between males and females

Verbal Ability Females better than males at verbal reasoning
Lateralisation – When solving verbal problems, men used the left
hemisphere, whilst women used both (Shawitz et al.,
Left hemisphere specialises in language 1995)
skills
Some support for difference in dyslexia and verbal
Right hemisphere in spatial skills disorders in males (e.g., stuttering)

Some disorders linked to Y chromosome Contradicting findings = Tavris & Wade (1984), Hyde
& Linn (1988)
Impact self-esteem, confidence Parents speak diff’ to male and female infacts and
give diff attention
Lead to self-fulfilling prophecy or social
construction of difference

Visual Spatial Ability Males better at map reading and logic
Females had better memory for object positions –
perceptual speed and object placement

Criticism Unger & Crawford (1992) – spatial abilities measured
in diff’ ways = difficult in deciding which tasks can be
linked together

Questions the generalisability and validity of
methodology

Maths Ability Equal ability at primary level
Males perform better in secondary school and
adulthood
Hyde (1981) confirmed this difference, but Hyde
(1990) reported that the differences were smaller
than what it often cited in many textbooks
Therefore, is this a consequence of Meta analysis has not supported these differences
stereotyping?

Could lead to a perception that maths is a
male subject = predomination of males in
math-oriented jobs (e.g., engineering)

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