Parents Think Their Sons Are Brighter Than Their Daughters: Sex Differences in Parental Self-Estimations and Estimations of Their Children's Multiple Intelligences

TLDR

The study interprets results through sociocultural and familial influences, considering possible real sex differences in specific abilities. The study surveyed 156 predominantly White British adults, who rated their own overall IQ and seven Gardner intelligence subtypes, while 120 parents estimated their children's multiple intelligences. Men overestimated their own IQs compared to women, and parents consistently rated sons higher than daughters, with higher parental self‑estimates linked to higher child IQ estimates and notable differences in logical‑mathematical, spatial, verbal, and musical intelligences, especially among first‑born children.

Abstract

In this study, 156 participants, predominantly White British adults (M age = 44.3 years) rated themselves on overall IQ and on H. Gardner's (1983) 7 intelligence subtypes. Parents (n = 120) also estimated the intelligence of their children. Men's self-estimates were significantly higher than women's (110.15 vs. 104.84). Participants thought their verbal, mathematical, and spatial intelligence scores were the best indicators of their own overall intelligence. Parents estimated that their sons had significantly higher IQs than their daughters (115.21 vs. 107.49). Self-estimates and estimates of children's multiple intelligences were higher for men and sons, significantly so for logical-mathematical and spatial intelligence. Parents rated 2nd-born daughters as having significantly higher verbal and musical intelligence than their male counterparts. Higher parental IQ self-estimates corresponded with higher IQ estimates for children. Results for 1st-born children were clearest and showed the most significant differences. The findings are interpreted in terms of sociocultural and familial influences and the possibility of actual sex differences in particular abilities.