Quillette Podcast The Great Divergence
Feb 14, 2025
David C. Geary, a Curator's Distinguished Professor at the University of Missouri and an expert in evolutionary psychology, discusses evolving gender differences in Western societies. He explores how cognitive disparities and occupational roles have become more pronounced, despite strides toward equality. The conversation probes sexual selection, environmental pressures on traits, and the shifting career paths for women as barriers fall. Geary also addresses the implications of gender preferences in career divergence and the growing educational gap between sexes.
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The Great Divergence
- Contrary to expectations, psychological and behavioral differences between sexes are expanding in more egalitarian societies.
- This contradicts the belief that gender equality would decrease these differences.
Expanding Choices, Expanding Differences
- The expansion of social and occupational choices allows for greater expression of individual differences, including those between sexes.
- This increased expression contributes to the observed divergence in various areas.
Cognitive Divergence
- Cognitive differences, like memory and visual-spatial skills, also show divergence between sexes in more developed regions.
- Women's verbal memory advantages and men's visual-spatial advantages become more pronounced in healthier populations.