Sign up FAST! Login

The Empathizing-Systemizing Theory, Social Abilities, and Mathematical Achievement in Children


Stashed in: Children, Empathy, Awesome, Math!, Parents, Personality, Mathy

To save this post, select a stash from drop-down menu or type in a new one:

Science finally investigates a thing most thinking adults have wondered about, which is whether being good at maths is negatively correlated with social skills.

I can't see it!  No wonder why: "we found that mathematical achievement was not related to systemizing or the discrepancy between systemizing and empathizing."

That sentence is hard to parse.

Basically, being good at math has no bearing on whether a child can have empathy.

Without any scientific intrude, it was almost a given when I was in school that good at math meant poor in English (and vice versa). Which also meant that's how you were treated by teachers and what they expected of you.

Did that tend to actually be true, or did the teachers just behave as if it were true?

Basically true, and not just while in school. Years later, the same propensities still show up no matter demographics.

Because stereotypes? Or because they are reacting to behaviors?

Just through general observations. There's a great tendency that the math-minded lack English enthusiasm. Calculus (and upwards!) is fun. Writing a paper would be a chore. I honestly thought this was common, to some degree, in most people.

So is there any way to change the attitudes? I guess one person at a time. 

You May Also Like: