I distinctly remember the first time I sat down to take an official SAT test. Water bottle and snack on the floor next to me, calculator under my chair, four perfectly sharpened pencils sitting neatly at the top of my desk. In all the superficial ways, I was prepared. Yet I couldn’t ignore the nerves that I felt, the butterflies in my stomach, the little nagging voice in my head that worried about the score I would receive. There was no ignoring the importance of that test – on my future college acceptances, on my scholarship chances, even on my own self-worth.
The SAT test is still heavily relied on for college admissions, particularly at the most competitive schools (Ritger, 2013). Yet, the test counts for more even than that. Psychologists and public commentators often use the test as a measurement of aptitude in certain subject areas, and sometimes even as a measure of cognitive ability as a whole (Spelke, 2007, 60). Knowing this, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some students use their SAT score as a factor in judging their own intelligence. But is the SAT really a good indicator of intelligence?
Different Ways of Thinking
It has been noted that males generally score higher on current versions of the SAT mathematics test (Spelke, 2007, 60). In their essay “Sex, Math, and Science”, published in the compilation novel Why Aren’t More Women in Science?, experts Elizabeth S. Spelke and Ariel D. Grace explain that this has often led to the conclusion that males are more adept mathematically than females. They call into question, however, the assumption that the SAT test itself is gender-neutral (Spelke, 2007, 60). What if, intrinsically, the test is formulated to favor males? How is this possible?
Through a series of studies designed to measure sex differences in mathematical ability, Spelke and Grace suggest that there are no cognitive differences between males and females throughout infancy and early childhood. However, at older ages and into adulthood, there are differences in the way the sexes approach complex mathematical problems. When problems can be solved multiple ways, the sexes tend to split in the approach they choose (Spelke, 2007, 59).
- When asked to navigate through unfamiliar, complicated terrain, males tended to use geography to find their way. Females tended to use landmarks (Spelke, 2007, 59).
- When asked to distinguish two different geometrical shapes, females tended to compare them using characteristic features. Males compared the shapes by mentally rotating them (Spelke, 2007, 59).
- On mathematical assessments that can be solved multiple ways, males are more likely to use spatial reasoning while females are more likely to use algebra (Spelke, 2007, 59).
In all of these cases, both the methods listed could be used to effectively solve a math problem. However, questions can intrinsically favor using one technique or another, particularly when tests are timed. Spelke and Grace suggest that by using a higher percentage of problems favoring techniques that men tend to use, the test itself could be gender biased. So, the fact that males generally score higher on the mathematics section of the SAT doesn’t necessarily mean that men are inherently more mathematically gifted. In fact, the reality that the SAT systematically underrepresents women is widely acknowledged by testing literature (Spelke, 2007, 60).
The arguments that Spelke and Grace make in their essay tend to have widespread support. In fact, in a recent study that examined more than 123,000 students from 33 public and private universities found that SAT scores did not correlate well with future grades and graduation rates (Woodruff, 2014). While I generally agree with the points made by Spelke and Grace, I couldn’t help but notice how quickly they brought up and then dismissed the idea that greater cognitive variability in males could result in a greater number of male “geniuses”. This idea was brushed away because the reliability of the test itself, the SAT-M, was in question. However, other studies have shown that the highest scores on mathematical reasoning tests (those that are several standard deviations above the mean) belong to majority males (Kimura, 2007, 40). Spelke and Grace, while they mention that men and women earn bachelors degrees in math at equal rates, neglect to mention that women earn only 20-23% of doctorate degrees in math, physical, and computer sciences (Kimura, 2007, 43). So while women may have equivalent cognitive abilities at certain education levels, their ability at higher levels is still in question. If Spelke and Grace are judging cognitive ability on percentage of math bachelors degrees received by women, their point would be disproven when extended to the doctorate level.
Instead of attempting to determine whether males or females have superior cognitive abilities based on standardized tests, I believe we should refer to another point Spelke and Grace put forth in their essay. Before we can properly formulate standards that will test cognitive abilities, we first need to understand the nature of cognitive mathematical ability itself (Spelke, 2007, 42). Until we have more information on how male and female brains learn and problem-solve, and the similarities and differences between their methods, we cannot completely rely on these tests to determine intelligence or future success. Maybe someday, instead of sitting down to take a general SAT test, female students will be sitting down to take a test formulated with their problem-solving style in mind.
References:
Kimura, D. (2007). “‘Underrepresentation’ or misrepresentation?”. Why Aren’t More Women in Science? Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Spelke, E. S., Grace, A. D. (2007). “Sex, math and science”. Why Aren’t More Women in Science? Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Woodruff, J. (2014). “Study finds high SAT and ACT scores might not spell success at college”. PBS News Hour. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/study-finds-high-sat-act-scores-might-not-spell-success/
Ritger, C. (2013). “How important is the SAT? Admissions officers weigh in.” USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/28/admissions-officers-weigh-in-on-sat/2027843/