Different BUT Equal

by: Nicole Murgia

Elizabeth S. Spelke and Ariel D. Grace further investigate the prejudice women face in the math and science fields in their essay, Sex, Math, and Science. At this point in the knowledge I believe I have obtained from studying the differences that may contribute to the underrepresentation, mistreatment, and prejudice of women in science, I have come to the conclusion that men are not better than women at the subject. I do believe that it is true that men and women are innately more skilled at certain tasks and abilities. However, I do not believe that those innate abilities cause men to be more skilled in the math and science department. Men and women simply use their different abilities to approach problems and tasks differently but still equally effective and correct. Spelke and Grace provide evidence in their essay that back this assumption.

Spelke and Grace tackled the frequently discussed controversial statement that concludes that men are predisposed to have a better grasp on mechanical relationships and objects. While this is true, they were able to further investigate and prove that this does not lead men to be better equipped for careers in science and math. In fact, while men have an upper hand in mechanical relationships and objects, women have an upper hand on detecting and understanding people (Spelke and Grace 58). While this may not seem relevant to math at the moment, it will after further evidence is discussed. One scientist, Hyde conducted an experiment that tested girls and boys from infantry and toddlerhood. As infants, males and females “perceive objects and learn about mechanical relationships in strikingly convergent ways” (Spelke and Grace 58). When toddlers were tested, the results stayed consistent. Male and female toddlers learned how to fit blocks into holes and build towers at the same exact rate (Spelke and Grace 58).

When males and female grow older, many people have the misconception that they became more different from each other. While men and women socially and physically undergo numerous changes that differ greatly from each sex, their mental abilities so as well, but not in a negative way. When the five “core systems” of mathematical reasoning were tested, no difference was found between men and females in the beginning. However, after further testing involving navigating through a complex environment, slight differences were found. While navigating, men were likely to distinguish the shape of objects by “rotating one object into registration with another” (Spelke and Grace 59). On the other hand, women completed the same task by observing the shapes and “singling out individual features that distinguish them” (Spelke and Grace 59).

Although males and females completed the same task with different approaches, in the end, they both were successful. Spelke and Grace’s essay and research was one of my favorites so far. Personally, I believe that it is true that men and women are genetically disposed to be skilled at different abilities. However, I believe that these abilities do not decide what subject areas and fields one should pursue. In life, it is always good to approach something with a different perspective. It is the same for science. With both the minds of men and women in the science field, more perspectives will be considered and accounted for and more breakthroughs will be made.