Girls Are as Competitive as Boys � Just More Subtle
By ED YONG
June 27, 2008 — ABC News
Girls are no less competitive than boys, they simply employ more subtle tactics, a study of pre-schoolers suggests. While boys use head-on aggression to get what they want, girls rely on the pain of social exclusion.
To test the apparent differences in how very young children compete, Joyce Benenson at Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts, US and her colleagues divided 87 four-year-olds into same-sex groups of three. In successive trials, each trio received either one, two or three highly prized animal puppets.
The sexes behaved similarly when there were two or three puppets to go round. The differences became clear, though, when there was just one puppet for each group.
Boys tended to ask for the puppet, grab at it, or even chase the child who had it. In contrast, girls punished the puppet-holder by excluding her from their clique, whispering behind her back or even hiding from her.
Avoiding Risks
Benenson says that these socially aggressive tactics may explain why girls exhibit greater jealousy over same-sex friendships than boys. They could be trying to protect themselves against exclusive coalitions.
Melissa Emery Thompson at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, also in the US, praises the study for creating “organic yet controlled situations in which the children’s natural behaviour emerges spontaneously”.
She says the results help to dispel the myth that females are the less competitive sex. Even at an early age, they avoid risky direct aggression in favour of subtler forms of competition, such as small shifts in tone and expression, or spreading rumours.
Emery Thompson says that these differences also explain why human males tend to cooperate more effectively in groups while many females “work well in pairs and tend to maintain only a few close relationships.”
Source: ABC News
Do you agree with this finding? Special thanks to one of our blogger for pointing out this article.
Susan, what is your explanation why women (with your sister as an exception) don’t seem to be competitive on the absolute highest level in chess?
Few have been willing to put in the same amount of work as the top male players. Hard work and diligence are two very important factors to get to the top.
Best wishes,
Susan Polgar
But why is this? We have career women – real workaholics – in other departments.
absolute agreement to the article
“ebutaljib said…
But why is this? We have career women – real workaholics – in other departments.”
Yes, ebutaljib, but GM Polgar loves her children more than chess and more than any “career”.
Many women can learn a lesson about being a good mother and noble human being from GM Polgar.
She is doing it right!
I believe rampant sex discrimination by men who hold the power is a super major problem in our society. Eventually the women tend to give up.
Look closely at what happened to Hillary Clinton and of course the old boys club gave the nod to Barack Obama. It was total discrimination. But the men in power totally corrupted the election and installed their old boy.
If you did not notice it as it was happening then you are not aware of your environment sufficiently. Push yourself to notice more. You can begin by becomeing more fully aware of all your feeling and words and actions all day long every day. Then begin to notice your effect on other people. Really become aware of it. A bit of study of psychology and other related topics will help to understand what you are observing.
“I believe rampant sex discrimination by men who hold the power is a super major problem in our society.”
I agree completely, however women have dominated several fields for ages: Nursing, Teaching, Electronics Manufacturing (small hands!), and last but not least homemaking (yes, ladies its a career!).
Women can make themselves happy by not buying into the lie that they have to do everything men have to do. Women have been given gifts men can never obtain trhough money or power. It is called motherhood. Motherhood is an awesome and powerful way to influence the future. Every powerful person in the world had a powerful mother to guide their path.
“Girls are no less competitive than boys, they simply employ more subtle tactics”
I noticed this in the play of some kids at my chess club, most notably in the styles of play of Jonathan (8) and Sarah (11) Chiang. Jonathan plays for the attack, either to win material or mate, and Sarah plays less aggressively, thinks more, and is great at endgames. Both are top players for their age.
“Yes, ebutaljib, but GM Polgar loves her children more than chess and more than any “career”.
Many women can learn a lesson about being a good mother and noble human being from GM Polgar.
She is doing it right!”
Did I say she doesn’t?
But there are women that (believe it or not) aren’t that interested in kids, and they work on their careers. Surely some of those play chess.
“But there are women that (believe it or not) aren’t that interested in kids (or men), and they work on their careers. Surely some of those play chess.”
Hey, that is no way to talk about Beatrice Marinello!