Wendy M. Williams – författare

Even though women consistently receive better grades in math and science, men excel on math aptitude tests and are greatly overrepresented in the so-called hard sciences. The Mathematics of Sex explores why males are overrepresented in mathematically intensive professions such as physics, computer science, chemistry, mathematics, and engineering. Bringing together for the first time important research from such diverse fields as endocrinology, economics, sociology, education, genetics, and psychology, the authors show that two factors--the parenting choices women (but not men) have to make, and the tendency of bright women to choose people-oriented fields like medicine--largely account for the under-representation of women in the hard sciences. Further, research shows that biology itself--differences in hormones or brain organization--does not fully account for the problem. Compressing an enormous amount of information--over 400 studies--into a readable, engaging account suitable for parents, educators, and policymakers, this book advances the debate about women in science unlike any other book before it.

Nearly half of all physicians and biologists are females, as are the majority of new psychologists, veterinarians, and dentists, suggesting that women have achieved equality with men in the workforce. But the ranks of professionals in math-intensive careers remain lopsidedly male; up to 93% of tenure-track academic positions in some of the most mathematically-oriented fields are held by men.Three main explanations have been advanced to explain the dearth of women in math-intensive careers, and in The Mathematics of Sex, Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams describe and dissect the evidence for each. The first explanation involves innate ability--male brains are physiologically optimized to perform advanced mathematical and spatial operations; the second is that social and cultural biases inhibit females'' training and success in mathematical fields; the third alleges that women are less interested in math-intensive careers than are men, preferring people-oriented pursuits. Drawing on research in endocrinology, economics, sociology, education, genetics, and psychology to arrive at their own unique, evidence-based conclusion, the authors argue that the problem is due to certain choices that women (but not men) are compelled to make in our society; that women tend not to favor math-intensive careers for certain reasons, and that sex differences in math and spatial ability cannot adequately explain the scarcity of women in these fields. The Mathematics of Sex represents the first time such a thorough synthesis of data has been carried out to solve the puzzle of women''s underrepresentation in math-intensive careers. The result is a readable, engaging account suitable not only for academics in an array of disciplines, but for general readers as well--including educators, science policymakers, parents of daughters, and anyone intellectually curious about a key controversy of our time.

Nearly half of all physicians and biologists are females, as are the majority of new psychologists, veterinarians, and dentists, suggesting that women have achieved equality with men in the workforce. But the ranks of professionals in math-intensive careers remain lopsidedly male; up to 93% of tenure-track academic positions in some of the most mathematically-oriented fields are held by men.Three main explanations have been advanced to explain the dearth of women in math-intensive careers, and in The Mathematics of Sex, Stephen J. Ceci and Wendy M. Williams describe and dissect the evidence for each. The first explanation involves innate ability--male brains are physiologically optimized to perform advanced mathematical and spatial operations; the second is that social and cultural biases inhibit females'' training and success in mathematical fields; the third alleges that women are less interested in math-intensive careers than are men, preferring people-oriented pursuits. Drawing on research in endocrinology, economics, sociology, education, genetics, and psychology to arrive at their own unique, evidence-based conclusion, the authors argue that the problem is due to certain choices that women (but not men) are compelled to make in our society; that women tend not to favor math-intensive careers for certain reasons, and that sex differences in math and spatial ability cannot adequately explain the scarcity of women in these fields. The Mathematics of Sex represents the first time such a thorough synthesis of data has been carried out to solve the puzzle of women''s underrepresentation in math-intensive careers. The result is a readable, engaging account suitable not only for academics in an array of disciplines, but for general readers as well--including educators, science policymakers, parents of daughters, and anyone intellectually curious about a key controversy of our time.

This book reviews psychological research on practical intelligence and describes its importance in everyday life. The authors reveal the importance of tacit knowledge - what we have learned from our own experience, through action. Although it has been seen as an indispensable element of expertise, intelligence researchers have found it difficult to quantify. The data shows that practical intelligence is psychologically and statistically distinct from academic intelligence, and is distinct as well from personality and styles of thought. The data also indicates that practical intelligence predicts job performance and even aspects of school performance as well as or better than does academic intelligence. This volume thoroughly examines studies of practical intelligence in the United States and in many other parts of the world as well, and for varied occupations, such as management, military leadership, teaching, research, and sales.

This book reviews psychological research on practical intelligence and describes its importance in everyday life. The authors reveal the importance of tacit knowledge - what we have learned from our own experience, through action. Although it has been seen as an indispensable element of expertise, intelligence researchers have found it difficult to quantify. The data shows that practical intelligence is psychologically and statistically distinct from academic intelligence, and is distinct as well from personality and styles of thought. The data also indicates that practical intelligence predicts job performance and even aspects of school performance as well as or better than does academic intelligence. This volume thoroughly examines studies of practical intelligence in the United States and in many other parts of the world as well, and for varied occupations, such as management, military leadership, teaching, research, and sales.

The Nature/Nurture Debate: The Essential Readings provides students with a selection of some of the key articles by key researchers in this core area of developmental psychology.

Intelligence, Instruction, and Assessment shows how modern theories of intelligence can be directly applied by educators to the teaching of subject matter, regardless of the age of the students or the content being taught. It is intended primarily for teachers at all levels--elementary, secondary, tertiary--who want to apply in their classrooms what we know about intelligence. The focus is not on modifying students' intelligence, per se, but on increasing their disciplinary knowledge and understanding. Hence, this book will help teachers learn how they can teach more effectively what they are already teaching. The assumption is that what teachers care most about is how they can improve upon what they are already doing, and how they can learn what they need to do in order to be more effective in their work. The contributors are well known for their work on intelligence and education. Each chapter includes an accessible explanation of the author's theory of intelligence, and discusses the implications of that theory both for instruction and for assessment. The book is international in scope, reflecting both American and European perspectives. Anyone interested in knowing how modern theories of intelligence can be applied to education will want to read this book--particularly teachers and other education specialists, as well as developmental psychologists, cognitive psychologists, and philosophers with an interest in applying psychological theory to classroom practice. It will serve well as a text for courses on educational psychology, intelligence, cognition and instruction, and foundations of teaching.

Intelligence, Instruction, and Assessment shows how modern theories of intelligence can be directly applied by educators to the teaching of subject matter, regardless of the age of the students or the content being taught. It is intended primarily for teachers at all levels--elementary, secondary, tertiary--who want to apply in their classrooms what we know about intelligence. The focus is not on modifying students' intelligence, per se, but on increasing their disciplinary knowledge and understanding. Hence, this book will help teachers learn how they can teach more effectively what they are already teaching. The assumption is that what teachers care most about is how they can improve upon what they are already doing, and how they can learn what they need to do in order to be more effective in their work. The contributors are well known for their work on intelligence and education. Each chapter includes an accessible explanation of the author's theory of intelligence, and discusses the implications of that theory both for instruction and for assessment. The book is international in scope, reflecting both American and European perspectives. Anyone interested in knowing how modern theories of intelligence can be applied to education will want to read this book--particularly teachers and other education specialists, as well as developmental psychologists, cognitive psychologists, and philosophers with an interest in applying psychological theory to classroom practice. It will serve well as a text for courses on educational psychology, intelligence, cognition and instruction, and foundations of teaching.