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It’s official – I’m a big Jessie

4 Comments

I break off from the traditional summer silence to flag up some interesting tests related to Simon Baron Cohen‘s* recent book, The Essential Difference: Men, Women and the Extreme Male Brain.

There are four tests:

The first three take the form of choosing how much you agree with a given statement: definitely agree; slightly agree; slightly disagree & definitely disagree. The 4th test involves looking at a pair of eyes, through the letter-box, as it were and then choosing which of four given emotions is being expressed.

In all four tests my score fell into the category where “most women score.” This did not surprise me and I imagine that most people employed in the people industries would score similarly. Why not try them? The overall results (with colour coded gender divide) for over 150,000 participants so far can be seen here (slow link – patience required).

I first came across this topic in an article in New Scientist which suggested that reading fiction might develop social skills.

* cousin of Sacha Baron Cohen aka Ali G and Borat

4 thoughts on “It’s official – I’m a big Jessie”

  1. I did these tests and found them interesting, especially the mind in the eyes one – but I still don’t agree with some the answers they give for that one! I only scored 23, so am in awe of your 28 🙂
    However, I did become aware as I was considering my results, that while it is acceptable, nay even admirable, for you to proclaim your pink credentials Alan, it would have been less acceptable and definitely not something I would have been pleased about if I had emerged on the blue side. Hmm.
    Thanks for the link.

  2. So, Dorothy, while we’re strolling down PC Avenue, could one ask why you would be so displeased to have come out as a blue – and if a man could be justified in taking offence at your displeasure 🙂 On a more serious note, it seems clear that the idea of having behaviours biologically attributed to one gender only no longer fits into our complex, modern & changing world.

  3. That’s exactly my train of thought Alan…I agree that we shouldn’t be limited by stereotyping. I was recognising a trend in society in general, not my own approach. And yes, I’d join you in taking exception to such obvious and frustratingly limiting sexism. There’s nothing wrong in my view with being able to read maps or having a desire to know how things work and I sometimes wish I had a capacity for the simple uncomplicated view of relationships. (Have you seen this cartoon?
    http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/things_fall_apart.png)
    Although pink qualities do seem to be valued highly in society now, I think this is just as limiting to both genders. I agree with your observation: a dynamic and progressive society should encourage all people to develop a repertoire of behaviours which include pink, blue, purple, mauve and violet.

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