Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2xdlg Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T23:25:28.108Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sex Differences in Parents' Estimations of their Own and their Children's Multiple Intelligences: A Portuguese Replication

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Félix Neto  and
Adrian Furnham
Félix Neto*
Affiliation:
Universidade do Porto (Portugal)
Adrian Furnham
Affiliation:
University College London (UK)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Félix Neto. Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação. Universidade do Porto. Rua Dr. Manuel Pereira da Silva. 4200-392 Porto. (Portugal). E-mail: fneto@fpce.up.pt
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In this study, 148 Portuguese adults (M = 45.4 years) rated themselves and their children on overall IQ and on H. Gardner (1999) 10 intelligence subtypes. Men's self-estimates were not significantly higher than women's on any of the 11 estimates. The results were in line with previous studies, in that both sexes rated the overall intelligence of their first male children higher than the first female children. Higher parental IQ self-estimates correspond with higher IQ estimates for children. Globally parents estimated that their sons had significantly higher IQs than their daughters. In particular, parents rated their son's spiritual intelligence higher than those of their daughters. Children's age and sex, and parents' age and sex were all non-significant predictors of the overall “g” score estimates of the first two children. Participants thought verbal, mathematical, and spatial intelligence were the best indicators of the overall intelligence for self and children. There were no sex differences in experience of, or attitudes towards, intelligence testing. Results are discussed in terms of the growing literature in the self-estimates of intelligence, as well as limitations of that approach.

En este estudio, 148 adultos portugueses (M = 45.4 años) evaluaron su CI general y el de sus hijos y los 10 subtipos de inteligencia de H. Gardner (1999). La auto-estimación de los hombres no fue significativamente más alta que la de las mujeres en ninguna des las 11 estimativas. Los resultados estuvieron en línea con estudios previos, en que ambos los sexos evaluaron la inteligencia global de su primogénito masculino más elevadamente que la de su primogénita hembra. El elevado CI parental auto-estimado correspondió con el CI estimado de los hijos. Globalmente los padres estimaron que sus hijos tenían un CI significativamente más elevado que el de sus hijas. En particular, los padres evaluaron la inteligencia espiritual de sus hijos más elevadamente que la de sus hijas. Ni el sexo y edad de los jóvenes, ni el sexo y edad de los padres fueron predictores de la puntuación general “g” estimada de los dos primeros hijos. Los participantes consideraron que la inteligencia verbal, matemática y espacial eran los mejores predictores de la inteligencia global tanto para ellos propios como para sus hijos. No hubo diferencias significativas de género en la experiencia, o actitudes en relación, al test de la inteligencia. Los resultados y las limitaciones fueron discutidos en términos de la creciente literatura sobre el enfoque de la auto-estimación de la inteligencia.

Keywords

gender differencesparental perceptionsmultiple intelligencesself-estimatesdiferencias de géneropercepciones parentalesinteligencias múltiplesauto-estimación
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , May 2011 , pp. 99 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beloff, H. (1992). Mother, father and me: Our IQ. The Psychologist, 5, 309–311.Google Scholar
Bennett, M. (1996). Men's and women's self-estimates of intelligence. Journal of Social Psychology, 136, 411–412. doi: 10.1080/00224545.1996.9714021CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bennett, M. (1997). Self-estimates of ability in men and women. Journal of Social Psychology, 137, 540–541. doi:10.1080/00224549709595475CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bennett, M. (2000). Gender differences in the self-estimation of ability. Australian Journal of Psychology, 52, 23–28. doi:10.1080/00049530008255363CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beyer, S. (1995). Maternal employment and children's academic achievement: Parenting style as a mediating variable. Developmental Review, 15, 212–253. doi:10.1006/drev.1995.1009CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beyer, S. (1999). Gender differences in the accuracy of grade expectations and evaluations. Sex Roles, 41, 279–296. doi:10.1023/A:1018810430105CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bjorklund, D. F., & Kipp, K. (1996). Parental investment theory and gender differences in the evolution of inhibited mechanisms. Psychological Bulletin, 120, 163–188. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.120.2.163CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Byrd, M., & Stacey, B. (1993). Bias in IQ perception. The Psychologist, 6, 16.Google Scholar
Cattel, R. (1987). Intelligence: Its structure, growth and action. Amsterdam: North Holland.Google Scholar
Eysenck, H. (1981). Know your own IQ. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin.Google Scholar
Flynn, J. (1987). Massive IQ gains in 14 nations: What IQ tests really measure. Psychological Bulletin, 101, 171–191. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.101.2.171CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A. (2000). Parent estimates of their own and their children's multiple intelligences. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 18, 583–594. doi:10.1348/026151000165869CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A. (2001). Self-estimates of intelligence: Culture and gender differences in self and other estimates of general (g) and multiple intelligences. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 1381–1405. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00232-4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., & Baguma, P. (1999). A cross-cultural study from three countries of self-estimates of intelligence. North American Journal of Psychology, 1, 69–78.Google Scholar
Furnham, A., & Fong, G. (2000). Self-estimated and psychometrically measured intelligence: A cross-cultural and sex difference study. North American Journal of Psychology, 2, 191–199.Google Scholar
Furnham, A., & Gasson, L. (1998). Sex differences in parental estimates of their children's intelligence. Sex Roles, 38, 151–162. doi:10.1023/A:1018772830511CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., & Mikize, N. (2003). Zulu mothers' beliefs about their own and their children's intelligence. Journal of Social Psychology, 143, 83–94. doi:10.1080/00224540309598432CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Furnham, A., & Rawles, R. (1995). Sex differences in the estimation of intelligence. Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality, 10, 741–745.Google Scholar
Furnham, A., Clark, K., & Bailey, K. (1999). Sex differences in estimates of multiple intelligences. European Journal of Personality, 13, 247–259. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1099-0984(199907/08)13:4<247::AID-PER329>3.0.CO;2-73.0.CO;2-7>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., Fong, G., & Martin, N. (1999). Sex and cross-cultural differences in the estimated multi-faceted intelligence quotient score fro self, parents and siblings. Personality and Individual Differences, 26, 1025–1034. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(98)00201-3CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., Hosoe, T., & Tang, T. (2002). Male hubris and female humility? A cross-cultural study of ratings of self, parental and sibling multiple intelligence in America, Britain, and Japan. Intelligence, 30, 101–115. doi:10.1016/S0160-2896(01)00080-0CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., Mkhize, N., & Mndaweni, T. (2004). Indian and Isi-Zulu speaking South African parents' estimates of their own and their children's intelligence. South African Journal of Psychology, 34, 364–83.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., Rakow, T., & Mak, T. (2002). The determinants of parents' beliefs about the intelligence of their children: A study from Hong Kong. International Journal of Psychology, 37, 343–352. doi:10.1080/00207590244000151CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furnham, A., Reeves, E., & Budhani, S. (2002). Parents think sons are brighter than their daughters: Sex differences in parental self estimates and estimations of their children's multiple intelligences. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 163, 24–39. doi:10.1080/00221320209597966CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind: A theory of multiple intelligences. New York, NY: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed. New York, NY: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Goodnow, J., & Collins, W. (1990). Development according to parents: The nature, sources and consequences of parents' ideas. London: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Hogan, H. (1978). IQ self-estimates of males and females. Journal of Social Psychology, 106, 137–138. doi:10.1080/00224545.1978.9924160CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kruger, J. (1999). Lake Wobegon be gone! The “Below-Average Efect” and egocentric nature of comparative ability judgments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 221–232. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.77.2.221CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackintosh, N. (1998). IQ and human intelligence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
McCrae, R. R. (1990). Traits and trait names: How well is openness represented in natural languages? European Journal of Personality, 4, 119–129. doi:10.1002/per.2410040205CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mueller, C., & Dweck, C. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75, 33–52. doi:10.1037//0022-3514.75.1.33CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neto, F., & Furnham, A. (2006). Gender differences in self-rated and partner-rated multiple intelligences: A Portuguese replication. The Journal of Psychology, 140(6), 591–602. doi:10.3200/JRLP.140.6.591-602CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neto, F., Furnham, A., & Paz, R. (2007). Sex and culture differences in perceptions of estimated multiple intelligence for self and family: A Macanese-Portuguese comparison. International Journal of Psychology, 42(2), 124–133.doi:10.1080/00207590600831904CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neto, F., Furnham, A., & Pinto, M. C. (2009). Estimating one's own and one's relatives' multiple intelligence: A cross-cultural study from East Timor (Asia) and Portugal (Europe). The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 12, 518–527.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neto, F., Ruiz, F., & Furnham, A. (2008). Sex differences in self-estimation of multiple intelligences among Portuguese adolescents. High Ability Studies, 19, 189–204.doi:10.1080/13598130802504387CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petrides, K., & Furnham, A. (2000). Gender differences in measured and self-estimated trait emotional intelligence. Sex Roles, 42, 449–461. doi:10.1023/A:1007006523133CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rutherford, R. D., & Sewell, W. H. (1991). Birth order and intelligence: Further tests of the confluence model. American Sociological Review, 56, 141–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sigel, I. (1985). Parental belief systems: The psychological consequences for children. London: Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Sternberg, R. (1985). Beyond IQ. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Taylor, S. E., & Brown, J. D. (1988). Illusion and well-being: A social psychological perspective on mental health. Psychological Bulletin, 103, 193–210. doi:10.1037//0033-2909.103.2.193CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Visser, B. A., Ashton, M. C., & Vernon, P. A. (2006). Beyond g: Putting multiple intelligences theory to the test. Intelligence, 34, 487–502. doi:10.1016/j.intell.2006.02.004CrossRefGoogle Scholar