Girls Are Smarter Than Boys
Or at least they think they are. New research suggests that from the age of four, girls believe they are smarter, better behaved, and more hard- working than boys, according to BBC News.
By the time boys reached the age of eight, they agreed with the girls' perceptions that they were better at all these things, according to the study from the University of Kent.
To conduct the study, researchers questioned 238 children from the age of 4-10. Presented with a series of statements such as "this child is really clever" and "this child always finishes their work," the children in the study were then asked to point to a picture of a boy or a girl to indicate who they thought the statement was referring.
Both boys and girls said that they though that grown-ups believed that girls did better than boys at school. I wonder if most adults do, in fact, hold that belief.
Even those of us who are acutely conscious of gendered language occasionally fall into assumptions and stereotypes about boys and girls. I've certainly heard my fair share of "Boys will be boys" and "what a pretty girl!"
I admit that as the mother of two girls, I find it amusing when they proclaim, "Girls Rule. Boys Drool!"
Do you think there's any truth to the stereotype that girls are smarter than boys?
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Photo: flickr/bionicteaching
