Steven Levitt on Gender Differences

Levitt begins by linking to this interesting study on the link between the ratio of index and ring fingers and relative scores on math and reading on the SAT:

Kids with longer ring fingers compared to index fingers are likely to have higher math scores than literacy or verbal scores on the college entrance exam, while children with the reverse finger-length ratio are likely to have higher reading and writing, or verbal, scores versus math scores.

Exposure to testosterone in the womb is said to promote development of areas of the brain often associated with spatial and mathematical skills, he said. That hormone makes the ring finger longer. Estrogen exposure does the same for areas of the brain associated with verbal ability and tends to lengthen the index finger relative to the ring finger.

Levitt then goes on to say:

People don’t like to talk about gender differences these days, but if you have young kids, it is hard not to see them. We tried to raise my son to be a little girly man. It worked for two and a half years. His favorite thing to do was to dress up in ballerina outfits with his sister and put on makeup. Then one day I made the mistake of turning on Power Rangers. He was instantaneously transformed into a battle-loving, sword-toting warrior and has never once looked back.