Women have always been "the fairer sex" and, no doubt, many arguments can be made on the esthetics of beauty for and against this. However, when it comes down to it, this is a subjective observation. What about cleverness? Are there objective measures that can indicate categorically if the male brain or the female brain has the greatest capacity for intelligence?

Send this Whim to: Whim continues below 

There are many professional and self-assessment tests around to measure the supposed "intelligence" of males and females. Our very own EQ and SQ tests sit alongside other emotional intelligence tests and a vast range of personality tests that purport to elucidate the truth about male and female brains. But what do the facts say?

What the Statistics Say about Male Versus Female Intelligence
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that in 2004 17-year old females outperformed males in reading, while 17-year old males outperformed females in mathematics. This would seem to support the notion that male and female "intelligence" is different but not that one gender is cleverer than the other.

Have Women Become More Intelligent in the last 30 Years?
Another study from NCES highlights the changes in womens' higher education since 1970. From being the minority of undergraduates in 1970, women became the majority in 2001. This trend is projected to increase through 2013. Does this mean that women have become cleverer?

The Truth About Women's Intelligence
NCES examines the increase in women undergraduates in different sectors of the population and the results are telling. In the period from 1999 to 2000 women comprised 63% black undergraduates, 62% students age 40 or older, and 70% single parents. It seems, then, that the increase in intelligent women is associated more with groups that historically have had less opportunity (or perhaps desire) to further their education.

The real truth is that this tells us nothing about the innate intelligence of either gender. It tells us that more women are seeking to become better educated but nothing about whether they are able to learn more effectively (surely one measure of intelligence).

Unless, of course, the pursuit of knowledge per se is an indication of superior intelligence, in which case women are taking the lead in the gender intelligence battle.

Sources:

About the author

Katrina Boydon is a systemizing female with empathizing traits. She is as likely to be found crying over a sad film as balancing her bank account to the last cent.