Gender Differences among Korean Children in Verbal Ability, Spatial Ability, General Knowledge and Processing Speed

김홍근

doi:10.18205/kpa.2018.23.1.003

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Gender Differences among Korean Children in Verbal Ability, Spatial Ability, General Knowledge and Processing Speed

The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology / The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology, (P)1229-0726; (E)3058-2083

2018, v.23 no.1, pp.51-67

https://doi.org/10.18205/kpa.2018.23.1.003

(2018). Gender Differences among Korean Children in Verbal Ability, Spatial Ability, General Knowledge and Processing Speed. The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology, 23(1), 51-67, https://doi.org/10.18205/kpa.2018.23.1.003

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate gender differences among Korean children in cognitive abilities. To this end, 557 Korean children (314 boys and 243 girls) aged 7 to 15 years were given cognitive tests measuring verbal ability, spatial ability, general knowledge, and processing speed. Based on previous studies, it was expected that girls would outperform boys on tests measuring verbal ability and processing speed, whereas boys would outperform girls on tests measuring spatial ability and general knowledge. Major results were as follows. First, girls scored higher on tasks of Verbal Fluency and Coding, consistent with the hypothesis that girls are superior to boys in verbal ability and processing speed. Second, boys scored higher on tasks of Picture Completion, Block Design, and Information, consistent with the hypothesis that boys are superior to girls in spatial ability and general knowledge. Third, a Gender by Age interaction was found in tasks of Verbal Fluency and Block Design. With increasing age, gender differences in Verbal fluency increased, but those in Block Design decreased. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that gender differences in verbal ability, spatial ability, general knowledge, and processing speed are established in relatively early childhood. Given that similar gender differences were also reported for Western children, these gender differences are to a large extent cross-cultural.

keywords: gender difference, verbal ability, spatial ability, general knowledge, processing speed, children, 성차, 언어능력, 공간능력, 일반지식 처리속도, 아동

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Article Contents

Vol.23 No.1

Gender Differences among Korean Children in Verbal Ability, Spatial Ability, General Knowledge and Processing Speed

Abstract

Reference

The Korean Journal of Woman Psychology