Variability hypothesis: Difference between revisions
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The '''variability hypothesis''', a.k.a the '''greater [[male]] variability hypothesis''', states that males exhibit greater variability in many traits than [[females]]. This includes more variability in sexual preferences, social attitudes, behaviours, [[intelligence]], strength, other physical traits, genetic variation (though this is contested, see [[mutation]]), etc. The only exception being fear and emotionality, in which women show greater variability.<ref>Hyde JS. "Gender Similarities and Differences." The Annual Review of Psychology. 2014. 65:3.1–3.26 [[https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115057 Abstract]] [[https://www.gwern.net/docs/iq/2014-hyde.pdf FullText]].</ref> | The '''variability hypothesis''', a.k.a the '''greater [[male]] variability hypothesis''', states that males exhibit greater variability in many traits than [[females]]. This includes more variability in sexual preferences, social attitudes, behaviours, [[intelligence]], strength, other physical traits, genetic variation (though this is contested, see [[mutation]]), etc. The only exception being fear and emotionality, in which women show greater variability.<ref>Hyde JS. "Gender Similarities and Differences." The Annual Review of Psychology. 2014. 65:3.1–3.26 [[https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115057 Abstract]] [[https://www.gwern.net/docs/iq/2014-hyde.pdf FullText]].</ref> | ||
Higher male variability may only concern dimensions in which men outcompete women as everything tends to get more varied and spread out the more potential there is.{{citation needed}} Men are simply more potent than women in many regards (taller, stronger, smarter, more sexually motivated, etc.), so overall men tend to have more variability. Conversely, women sometimes have greater variability in dimensions they have a higher mean (e.g. fear and emotionality). [[Metthew effect]]s may also play a role as men are more expected to succeed and more responsible for their lives, i.e. men may experience more of a downward spiral when they loose and more of an upward spiral when they succeed. | Higher male variability may only concern dimensions in which men outcompete women as everything tends to get more varied and spread out the more potential there is.{{citation needed}} Men are simply more potent than women in many regards (taller, stronger, smarter{{citation needed}}, more sexually motivated, etc.), so overall men tend to have more variability. Conversely, women sometimes have greater variability in dimensions they have a higher mean (e.g. fear and emotionality). [[Metthew effect]]s may also play a role as men are more expected to succeed and more responsible for their lives, i.e. men may experience more of a downward spiral when they loose and more of an upward spiral when they succeed. | ||
== Overview == | == Overview == | ||
The idea of men being more intra-sexually heterogenous than women in physical traits dates back to at least Charles Darwin, who stated his belief in such in ''The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex''. | The idea of men being more intra-sexually heterogenous than women in physical traits dates back to at least Charles Darwin, who stated his belief in such in ''The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex''. | ||