Gender differences on general knowledge tests: Are they due to Differential Item Functioning?

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

Gender differences on knowledge tests favoring men are among the most stable gender differences found in cognitive ability measures. Even though several attempts have been made to explain this finding, most studies have not sufficiently considered methodological aspects such as Differential Item Functioning (DIF). The present study investigated whether a German general knowledge test would show gender differences and whether these gender differences could be explained by DIF. To this end, we administered a knowledge test to a sample of N = 977 German high-school students. We observed a large gender difference in the total score of the general knowledge test (|d| = 0.78). On the basis of a nonparametric DIF-detection approach, we found that 40 of the 84 items showed a substantial amount of DIF. Eliminating those items from the overall knowledge test score reduced the observed gender difference to |d| = 0.32. Results are discussed with regard to gender differences on knowledge tests in general and methodological considerations.
Original languageEnglish
JournalIntelligence
Volume50
Pages (from-to)164 - 174
Number of pages11
ISSN0160-2896
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.05.2015

    Research areas

  • Psychology
  • Differential Item Functioning, Gender differences, Intelligence, Knowledge

Recently viewed

Publications

  1. Atlas mit CD-ROM
  2. Public Value
  3. Interlanguage pragmatics: From use to acquisition to second language pedagogy
  4. Gremlin fusion products with immunoglobulin Fc domains and their use as antiinflammatories or immunomodulators
  5. How data on transformation products can support the redesign of sulfonamides towards better biodegradability in the environment
  6. Building a Coalition with Depoliticized Sustainability Discourse
  7. Social group membership does not modulate automatic imitation in a contrastive multi-agent paradigm
  8. An Adaptive Two-Stage Observer in the Control of a New Electromagnetic Valve Actuator for Camless Internal Combustion Engines
  9. Leaf Nutritional Content, Tree Richness, and Season Shape the Caterpillar Functional Trait Composition Hosted by Trees
  10. The Rhythm Method
  11. Lernbegleitung durch Unterrichtsbesprechungen im Langzeitpraktikum
  12. Spillover of functionally important organisms between managed and natural habitats
  13. What makes online professional development effective?
  14. Three steps to a solar system
  15. Conceptual and procedural mathematical knowledge of beginning mathematics majors and preservice teachers
  16. Effects of samarium content on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–0.5Zn–0.5Zr alloy
  17. Communication
  18. Making transparency transparent
  19. The Automated will
  20. Ludic Interfaces
  21. The Timing of Daily Demand for Goods and Services
  22. Constructing Audiences, Defining Art
  23. The lens of polycentricity
  24. Exemplary versus statistical evidence?
  25. Basin efficiency approach and its effect on streamflow quality, Zerafshan River Uzbekistan
  26. Motion-decoupled internal force control in grasping with visco-elastic contacts