Hyde's latest

The latest paper by Janet S. Hyde (Hyde and Mertz, 2009) continues to build support for her Gender Similarities Hypothesis (2005). This time Hyde and Mertz suggest that the "greater male variability hypothesis" is not supported by all cultures studied. Using test scores made available as part of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001), Hyde and Russell also demonstrate that math performance gaps in the U.S. are narrowing.

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I find that the "Greater Male Variability Hypothesis" is another of my triggers for irrational responses to science. It doesn't ring true to me, and I haven't found support for it that I've found convincing. However, I'm so very biased against it that I don't trust myself to have looked for it well. In 2006, on my personal blog, I posted the following quote, attributed to Bertrand Russell, although I haven't been able to confirm that it's really his:

"If an opinion contrary to your own makes you angry, that is a sign that you are subconsciously aware of having no good reason for thinking as you do. Whenever you find yourself getting angry about a difference of opinion, be on your guard; you will probably find, on examination, that your belief is going beyond what the evidence warrants."

I'm not sure if I entirely buy into this concept: there are plenty of B.S. opinions that it's perfectly okay to get angry about. However, I think this is a case where I'm probably "going beyond" the evidence -- or perhaps not as far?

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