Sex Differences In Children's Task-Group Performance

Abstract

It is widely believed that males are more competent at task-group activity. This article critically examines the bases for asserting a sex difference in task-group ability. The argument focuses on the need to separate the effects of ability from the effects of opportunity to perform. A study is then presented that controls for the hypothesized contaminating effects of status and sex-biased activity. Children ages 3 to 8 were randomly assigned to sex, age, and race homogeneous three-person groups and asked to engage in a complex, sex-neutral task. On 13 task performance dimensions there was only one significant difference. The remaining 12 dimensions showed mixed but insignificant differences. The conclusion is that both males and females can manage complex task-group activity.