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Gender Differences in Broad and Narrow Ability Dimensions

A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Approach

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Cognitive Abilities and Educational Outcomes

Part of the book series: Methodology of Educational Measurement and Assessment ((MEMA))

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Abstract

This chapter describes investigations of gender differences in cognitive abilities and their relations to performance on standardized achievement tests in grade 6. The data used come from Jan-Eric Gustafsson’s projects in the 1980s where cognitive achievement on a battery of 13 different ability tests and 3 different standardised achievement tests were collected from 50 school classes. The nested factor (NF) approach demonstrated by Gustafsson (Multivar Behav Res 27(2):239–247, 1992) and the missing data modeling approach suggested by Muthén et al. (Psychometrika 52:431–462, 1987) were used to investigate gender differences in latent dimensions of hierarchically ordered cognitive abilities. Based on the results, it is argued that a more complex understanding is needed of the measures, as well as of the observed performances, of the compared groups. Whilst the modeled hierarchical structure of cognitive abilities fitted both groups equally well, the pattern of mean differences in latent dimensions showed both expected and unexpected results. A female advantage was found on general intelligence (g) and on the broad general crystallised intelligence factor (Gc). A male advantage was found on the general visualization factor (Gv), and on several narrow ability dimensions. This was not deducible from the univariate analysis. The chapter ends with a discussion on the degree to which these differences fit the assumptions of the so-called investment theory, that general fluid intelligence (Gf) precedes other broad abilities and narrow ability dimensions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Monica Rosén

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  1. Monica Rosén
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Correspondence to Monica Rosén .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg Dept. of Education and Special Education, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Monica Rosén

  2. Dept. of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg , Gothenburg, Sweden

    Kajsa Yang Hansen

  3. Dept. of Education and Special Education, University of Gothenburg Dept. of Education and Special Education, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Ulrika Wolff

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Rosén, M. (2017). Gender Differences in Broad and Narrow Ability Dimensions. In: Rosén, M., Yang Hansen, K., Wolff, U. (eds) Cognitive Abilities and Educational Outcomes. Methodology of Educational Measurement and Assessment. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43473-5_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43473-5_4

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