How Wanting Love Makes Girls Bad At Math
Despite the best efforts of today’s educators, women are still woefully underrepresented in the math, technology and science fields (and while we’re at it, women are underrepresented at the highest levels in business and government, too). A recent review argues that the problem is no longer simply a lack of opportunity or encouragement - in a nutshell, girls just seem to prefer other subjects. The question is, why?
It’s true that women are still, to some extent, stereotyped as being less capable in these fields, and certainly this (baseless and false) belief plays a role. But new research suggests that girls may prefer to study language, arts, and humanities over math and science for another reason: they believe, often on an unconscious level, that demonstrating ability in these stereotypically-male areas makes them less attractive to men。
Most of us, especially in adolescence, want very much to be romantically desirable. Girls in particular are socialized to see this as an important goal, and both sexes attempt to achieve the goal by conforming to cultural norms of what women and men are “supposed” to be like. Women are expected to be communal and nurturing, and to pursue careers that allow them to express those qualities – like teaching, counseling, and of course, nursing. Men, on the other hand, are supposed to be dominant, independent, and analytical – qualities well-suited to business, finance, and science。
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to know that women and men can be equally competent in any field. Stereotypes exert much of their influence on an unconscious level, as these new studies illustrate. When pursuing romantic goals, we automatically (below awareness) inhibit conflicting goals that might interfere. For women, that appears to mean choosing love over math。
In one study, male and female undergraduates saw images related to either romance (romantic restaurants, beach sunsets, lit candles) or intelligence (eyeglasses, libraries, books)， in order to get the students thinking about their romantic or achievement-related goals. Later, they rated their interest in math, technology, science and engineering. The researchers found that among men, interest in these subjects was not influenced by the images they had seen. But among women, those who viewed romantic images expressed far less interest in math and science. (Interestingly, women who viewed intelligence images expressed the same level of interest as the men!)
A second study activated goals a different way (i.e., by having participants “accidentally” overhear conversations between other undergrads, about either about a recent date or a recent test)， and observed the same results. When women had romance on their minds, they liked math a lot less。
In a third study, female undergrads filled out a daily diary over three weeks, reporting on the goals they pursued each day and the activities they engaged in. The researchers found that on days when women pursued romantic goals – like being romantically desirable, focusing on a current relationship, or trying to start a new relationship - they engaged in significantly fewer math-related activities, like attending class, studying, or doing homework. (On days when they pursued academic goals, the opposite was true。) So women don’t just like math less when they are focused on love – they also do less math, which over time undermines their mathematical ability and confidence, inadvertently reinforcing the stereotype that caused all the trouble in the first place。
Of course, this research has interesting implications for men as well. In pursuit of romantic love, men may feel discouraged from pursuits that are stereotypically “female” – those that involve being nurturing and communal. In other words, love doesn’t just make girls bad at math – it may also make boys act like selfish jerks, all in the service of conforming to a (largely unconscious) romantic ideal。
It’s a little troubling to think about how our past choices may have been influenced in unexpected ways by our desire to loved. (As a former chemistry major who ultimately turned to psychology, this research has certainly given me a lot to chew on。) But more importantly, I think, it gives us insight as parents and teachers into the kinds of messages our children need to hear. It’s not just that men and women can succeed in jobs that aren’t “traditionally” associated with their sex – kids today already know that. What they need to understand is that breaking out of a stereotype won’t keep them from finding the loving relationship they also desire. Only then will they feel free to go wherever their interests and aptitudes may take them。
盡管現(xiàn)代教育家付出了巨大努力，但在數(shù)學(xué)，技術(shù)和科學(xué)領(lǐng)域上，女性的地位仍未得到認(rèn)可(女性在商業(yè)領(lǐng)域和政府高層的境遇也是如此)。最近一項(xiàng)研究認(rèn)為，這種現(xiàn)象不能簡(jiǎn)單地歸因于女性缺乏機(jī)會(huì)和鼓勵(lì)——簡(jiǎn)而言之，女生看起來(lái)更擅長(zhǎng)其他科目。這是為什么?
的確，在某種程度上，大家認(rèn)為女性并不擅長(zhǎng)數(shù)學(xué)這類(lèi)領(lǐng)域，這種偏激和錯(cuò)誤的觀念已經(jīng)根深蒂固。但一項(xiàng)最新調(diào)查顯示，相對(duì)于數(shù)學(xué)和科學(xué)，女生更喜歡學(xué)習(xí)語(yǔ)言、藝術(shù)和人文學(xué)科的另一個(gè)原因是：在潛意識(shí)里，她們認(rèn)為在這些傳統(tǒng)男性領(lǐng)域中展現(xiàn)自己的能力會(huì)減少她們對(duì)男生的吸引力。
我們多數(shù)人都渴望得到異性的青睞，尤其在青春期的時(shí)候。女生特別在意這個(gè)，將其視作一個(gè)重要目標(biāo)。男女雙方都希望自己的言行符合文化規(guī)范中男女應(yīng)有的形象。女性更看重集體性和教育性，所以追求那種可以讓她們展示這種優(yōu)勢(shì)的職業(yè)——像教學(xué)，顧問(wèn)和護(hù)理。男性則認(rèn)為具有統(tǒng)治性，獨(dú)立性和分析性——更適合在商業(yè)，金融和科學(xué)領(lǐng)域打拼。
遺憾的是，想知道男女是否有均等的能力勝任各個(gè)領(lǐng)域的工作，僅靠這些還不夠。傳統(tǒng)觀念在潛意識(shí)里起到很大影響。當(dāng)追求愛(ài)情時(shí)，我們自動(dòng)屏蔽妨礙實(shí)現(xiàn)這個(gè)目標(biāo)的行為，對(duì)女性而言，這就意味著愛(ài)情重于數(shù)學(xué)。 第一個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)：將學(xué)生分成兩組，每組男女人數(shù)對(duì)等。一組看與愛(ài)情有關(guān)的照片(浪漫晚餐，海灘落日，燭光搖曳)，另一組看與智慧有關(guān)的照片(眼鏡，圖書(shū)館，書(shū)籍)，用來(lái)讓學(xué)生思考他們愛(ài)情或事業(yè)追求的目標(biāo)。隨后，他們?cè)u(píng)價(jià)自己對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)，技術(shù)和科學(xué)的興趣。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)在男生中，喜歡這類(lèi)科目的人不受照片內(nèi)容的影響，而女生中，那些看過(guò)愛(ài)情類(lèi)照片的人則對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)等科目興趣不大(有趣的是，女生中那些看過(guò)智慧類(lèi)圖片的人也表現(xiàn)出和男生同樣的興趣)。
第二個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)：換了一種方式(即讓學(xué)生不經(jīng)意間聽(tīng)到他人的談話，或是最近的數(shù)據(jù)，或是最近的測(cè)試)，得出了類(lèi)似的結(jié)論：當(dāng)女性腦中充滿對(duì)愛(ài)情的渴望時(shí)，她們對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)的興趣就會(huì)大幅減少。
第三個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)中，女生要求連續(xù)3個(gè)周寫(xiě)日記，記錄她們每天追求的目標(biāo)和參與的活動(dòng)。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在女生有愛(ài)情目標(biāo)的時(shí)候——例如有小男生傳紙條，陷入熱戀，或想要開(kāi)始一段新戀情——她們就很少參加與數(shù)學(xué)有關(guān)的活動(dòng)了，像上課、鉆研題目或完成作業(yè)。(某天她們想要學(xué)術(shù)了，情況就反過(guò)來(lái)了)所以女生在戀愛(ài)期間不僅冷淡數(shù)學(xué)，她們也幾乎不做數(shù)學(xué)練習(xí)，這無(wú)形中減弱了她們的數(shù)學(xué)能力和對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)的自信，而這不經(jīng)意間加深了那些關(guān)于性別的偏激錯(cuò)誤觀點(diǎn)。
當(dāng)然，這項(xiàng)研究對(duì)男性也有著同樣有趣的暗示。在追尋愛(ài)情的路上，男性在追求傳統(tǒng)女性時(shí)會(huì)有挫敗感，像護(hù)理和公共事業(yè)。換句話說(shuō)，愛(ài)情不僅會(huì)使女生在數(shù)學(xué)前踟躕不前，也會(huì)使男生的行為像個(gè)自私的傻子，這都是為愛(ài)情讓路。
我們之前的選擇可能受到愛(ài)情的影響，這使我們以一種意想不到的方式進(jìn)行選擇，再回想起來(lái)會(huì)有一絲遺憾(就像一個(gè)之前學(xué)化學(xué)的最后去學(xué)心理學(xué)了，這個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)的確給我以深思)。但更重要的是，這使我們對(duì)父母和老師給孩子所灌輸?shù)倪@種認(rèn)知有了深刻理解。不僅僅是工作的成功與性別無(wú)關(guān)——這個(gè)孩子們已經(jīng)知道了。他們需要懂得的是，打破傳統(tǒng)并不意味著沒(méi)人喜歡。只有勇于突破桎梏，他們才會(huì)追隨內(nèi)心的選擇，展現(xiàn)自己的才能。 盡管現(xiàn)代教育家付出了巨大努力，但在數(shù)學(xué)，技術(shù)和科學(xué)領(lǐng)域上，女性的地位仍未得到認(rèn)可(女性在商業(yè)領(lǐng)域和政府高層的境遇也是如此)。最近一項(xiàng)研究認(rèn)為，這種現(xiàn)象不能簡(jiǎn)單地歸因于女性缺乏機(jī)會(huì)和鼓勵(lì)——簡(jiǎn)而言之，女生看起來(lái)更擅長(zhǎng)其他科目。這是為什么?
的確，在某種程度上，大家認(rèn)為女性并不擅長(zhǎng)數(shù)學(xué)這類(lèi)領(lǐng)域，這種偏激和錯(cuò)誤的觀念已經(jīng)根深蒂固。但一項(xiàng)最新調(diào)查顯示，相對(duì)于數(shù)學(xué)和科學(xué)，女生更喜歡學(xué)習(xí)語(yǔ)言、藝術(shù)和人文學(xué)科的另一個(gè)原因是：在潛意識(shí)里，她們認(rèn)為在這些傳統(tǒng)男性領(lǐng)域中展現(xiàn)自己的能力會(huì)減少她們對(duì)男生的吸引力。
我們多數(shù)人都渴望得到異性的青睞，尤其在青春期的時(shí)候。女生特別在意這個(gè)，將其視作一個(gè)重要目標(biāo)。男女雙方都希望自己的言行符合文化規(guī)范中男女應(yīng)有的形象。女性更看重集體性和教育性，所以追求那種可以讓她們展示這種優(yōu)勢(shì)的職業(yè)——像教學(xué)，顧問(wèn)和護(hù)理。男性則認(rèn)為具有統(tǒng)治性，獨(dú)立性和分析性——更適合在商業(yè)，金融和科學(xué)領(lǐng)域打拼。
遺憾的是，想知道男女是否有均等的能力勝任各個(gè)領(lǐng)域的工作，僅靠這些還不夠。傳統(tǒng)觀念在潛意識(shí)里起到很大影響。當(dāng)追求愛(ài)情時(shí)，我們自動(dòng)屏蔽妨礙實(shí)現(xiàn)這個(gè)目標(biāo)的行為，對(duì)女性而言，這就意味著愛(ài)情重于數(shù)學(xué)。 第一個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)：將學(xué)生分成兩組，每組男女人數(shù)對(duì)等。一組看與愛(ài)情有關(guān)的照片(浪漫晚餐，海灘落日，燭光搖曳)，另一組看與智慧有關(guān)的照片(眼鏡，圖書(shū)館，書(shū)籍)，用來(lái)讓學(xué)生思考他們愛(ài)情或事業(yè)追求的目標(biāo)。隨后，他們?cè)u(píng)價(jià)自己對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)，技術(shù)和科學(xué)的興趣。研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)在男生中，喜歡這類(lèi)科目的人不受照片內(nèi)容的影響，而女生中，那些看過(guò)愛(ài)情類(lèi)照片的人則對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)等科目興趣不大(有趣的是，女生中那些看過(guò)智慧類(lèi)圖片的人也表現(xiàn)出和男生同樣的興趣)。
第二個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)：換了一種方式(即讓學(xué)生不經(jīng)意間聽(tīng)到他人的談話，或是最近的數(shù)據(jù)，或是最近的測(cè)試)，得出了類(lèi)似的結(jié)論：當(dāng)女性腦中充滿對(duì)愛(ài)情的渴望時(shí)，她們對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)的興趣就會(huì)大幅減少。
第三個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)中，女生要求連續(xù)3個(gè)周寫(xiě)日記，記錄她們每天追求的目標(biāo)和參與的活動(dòng)。研究發(fā)現(xiàn)，在女生有愛(ài)情目標(biāo)的時(shí)候——例如有小男生傳紙條，陷入熱戀，或想要開(kāi)始一段新戀情——她們就很少參加與數(shù)學(xué)有關(guān)的活動(dòng)了，像上課、鉆研題目或完成作業(yè)。(某天她們想要學(xué)術(shù)了，情況就反過(guò)來(lái)了)所以女生在戀愛(ài)期間不僅冷淡數(shù)學(xué)，她們也幾乎不做數(shù)學(xué)練習(xí)，這無(wú)形中減弱了她們的數(shù)學(xué)能力和對(duì)數(shù)學(xué)的自信，而這不經(jīng)意間加深了那些關(guān)于性別的偏激錯(cuò)誤觀點(diǎn)。
當(dāng)然，這項(xiàng)研究對(duì)男性也有著同樣有趣的暗示。在追尋愛(ài)情的路上，男性在追求傳統(tǒng)女性時(shí)會(huì)有挫敗感，像護(hù)理和公共事業(yè)。換句話說(shuō)，愛(ài)情不僅會(huì)使女生在數(shù)學(xué)前踟躕不前，也會(huì)使男生的行為像個(gè)自私的傻子，這都是為愛(ài)情讓路。
我們之前的選擇可能受到愛(ài)情的影響，這使我們以一種意想不到的方式進(jìn)行選擇，再回想起來(lái)會(huì)有一絲遺憾(就像一個(gè)之前學(xué)化學(xué)的最后去學(xué)心理學(xué)了，這個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)的確給我以深思)。但更重要的是，這使我們對(duì)父母和老師給孩子所灌輸?shù)倪@種認(rèn)知有了深刻理解。不僅僅是工作的成功與性別無(wú)關(guān)——這個(gè)孩子們已經(jīng)知道了。他們需要懂得的是，打破傳統(tǒng)并不意味著沒(méi)人喜歡。只有勇于突破桎梏，他們才會(huì)追隨內(nèi)心的選擇，展現(xiàn)自己的才能。
