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Abstract
This text provides a fascinating approach to the widely studied area of individual differences and in particular sex differences. The book looks at perception, attention, memory, language and other cognitive domains, with each chapter outlining the processes involved before explaining the relationship between each sex and cognitive performance.
DR COLIN HAMILTON is Senior Lecturer in Psychology, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, UK, and Open University Course Tutor on the Biology, Brain and Behaviours course.
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover | Cover | ||
| Contents | v | ||
| List of Figures | ix | ||
| List of Tables | xi | ||
| Part I: Introduction | 1 | ||
| 1. Rationale, Issues and Overview | 3 | ||
| Introduction | 3 | ||
| Task Performance Versus Process Measurement | 4 | ||
| Individual Differences Associated with Sex and with Gender | 7 | ||
| The Context of Individual-Differences Research | 10 | ||
| Difficulties with Non-Experimental Research Designs | 11 | ||
| Organization of the Book | 15 | ||
| Part II: Sex Differences Research Findings | 21 | ||
| 2. Sex Differences in Sensory and Perceptual Processes | 23 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 23 | ||
| Visual Perception | 24 | ||
| Sex Differences in Visual Perception | 27 | ||
| Auditory Perception | 39 | ||
| Sex Differences in Auditory Perception | 41 | ||
| Other Senses | 42 | ||
| Conclusions | 43 | ||
| Research to Do | 44 | ||
| 3. Attention and Memory | 45 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 45 | ||
| Attention | 46 | ||
| Sex Differences in Attention | 50 | ||
| Working Memory Models | 53 | ||
| Working Memory, Perception and Spatial Ability | 55 | ||
| Sex Differences in Working Memory | 56 | ||
| Sex Differences in Visuospatial Working Memory | 58 | ||
| Sex Differences in Verbal Working Memory | 64 | ||
| Sex Differences in Long-Term Memory | 66 | ||
| Neuropsychological Research in Memory | 70 | ||
| Social Cognition, Anxiety and Working Memory Task Performance | 72 | ||
| Conclusions | 74 | ||
| Research to Do | 75 | ||
| 4. Imagery | 76 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 76 | ||
| Imagery | 76 | ||
| Sex Differences in Imagery | 80 | ||
| Issues in the Mental Rotation Literature | 81 | ||
| Performance Factors | 83 | ||
| Strategy Deployment | 85 | ||
| Hemispheric Contribution to Mental Rotation Task Performance | 87 | ||
| Conclusions | 89 | ||
| Research to Do | 91 | ||
| 5. Intelligence and Educational Achievement | 92 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 92 | ||
| The Nature of Intelligence and Its Measurement | 93 | ||
| Sex Differences in Intelligence Test Performance | 95 | ||
| Sex Differences in Scholastic Achievement | 97 | ||
| The Education Process as a Socio-Cultural Agent | 103 | ||
| The Educational Achievement of Girls and Boys | 106 | ||
| Women and Men in Higher Education | 112 | ||
| Sex Differences in Higher Education Achievement | 113 | ||
| Conclusions | 115 | ||
| Part III: Within-Sex Differences Research Findings | 117 | ||
| 6. Individual Differences Associated with Gender | 119 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 119 | ||
| The Conceptualization and Operationalization of Gender | 119 | ||
| The Measurement of Self-Perceived Gender Characteristics | 120 | ||
| Empirical Observation of Gender and Cognition | 124 | ||
| Issues in the Gender and Cognition Research | 127 | ||
| Conclusions | 130 | ||
| 7. Hormonal Influences | 132 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 132 | ||
| Theoretical Frames | 133 | ||
| Methodologies | 136 | ||
| Research Findings | 140 | ||
| Conclusions | 147 | ||
| Research to Do | 149 | ||
| 8. Individual Differences Associated with Lifespan Development | 150 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 150 | ||
| Theoretical Frameworks | 151 | ||
| Hormonal Influences | 155 | ||
| Speed of Processing Accounts | 157 | ||
| Neural Development | 158 | ||
| Cognitive Development in Children and Adolescents | 160 | ||
| Cognitive Development in Adulthood | 169 | ||
| Conclusions | 172 | ||
| Part IV: Theoretical Frameworks | 175 | ||
| 9. Evolution, Brain and Cognition | 177 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 177 | ||
| Evolutionary Psychology | 178 | ||
| Sex Differences in Neuroanatomy and Functional Architecture | 184 | ||
| Conclusions | 189 | ||
| 10. The Importance of the Socio-Cultural Environment | 191 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 191 | ||
| Theoretical Explanations of the Socialization Processes in Women and Men | 191 | ||
| Socio-Cultural Influences in Cognitive Task Performance | 198 | ||
| The Importance of Differential Experiences for Cognition | 202 | ||
| Conclusions | 208 | ||
| 11. An Interactionist Approach | 210 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 210 | ||
| Neural and Cognitive Development: A Comparative Approach | 211 | ||
| Interactionist Frameworks | 212 | ||
| Conclusion | 217 | ||
| 12. Synthesis | 219 | ||
| Aim and Overview | 219 | ||
| Theoretical Accounts of Human Cognition | 219 | ||
| A Process-Oriented Approach to Individual Differences | 223 | ||
| The Sources of Individual Differences in Human Cognition | 225 | ||
| Some Ways Forward | 230 | ||
| References | 234 | ||
| Author Index | 274 | ||
| Subject Index | 280 |