ERIC Number: EJ853365
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Jun
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Consistencies in Sex Differences on the Cognitive Abilities Test across Countries, Grades, Test Forms, and Cohorts
Lohman, David F.; Lakin, Joni M.
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v79 n2 p389-407 Jun 2009
Background: Strand, Deary, and Smith (2006) reported an analysis of sex differences on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) for over 320,000 UK students 11-12 years old. Although mean differences were small, males were overrepresented at the upper and lower extremes of the score distributions on the quantitative and non-verbal batteries and at the lower extreme of the verbal battery. Aims: We investigate whether these results were unique to the UK or whether they would be seen in other countries, at other grades, cohorts, or forms of the test. Sample: The sample consisted of three nationally representative cohorts of US students in grades 3 through 11 (total N=318,599) for the 1984, 1992, and 2000 standardizations of the US version of the CAT. Methods: We replicated and extended the Strand "et al." (2006) results by comparing the proportions of males and females at each score level across countries (UK vs. US), grades (3-11), and cohorts/test forms (Forms 4, 5, and 6 standardized in 1984, 1992, and 2000, respectively). Results: The results showed an astonishing consistency in sex differences across countries, grades, cohorts, and test forms. Conclusions: Implications for the current debate about sex differences in quantitative reasoning abilities are discussed.
Descriptors: Gender Differences, Cognitive Tests, Foreign Countries, Comparative Analysis, Elementary School Students, Secondary School Students, Age Differences, Test Format, Grouping (Instructional Purposes)
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: United Kingdom; United States
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Cognitive Abilities Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A