Gender Differences in Implicit Theories of Wisdom

Abstract

Three studies are reported that investigated different aspects of gender differences in implicit theories. In Study 1, participants rated characteristics and possible sources of wisdom concerning their importance for wisdom. Gender differences are small, but suggest a slightly more cognition-oriented view of wisdom in men. Study 2 showed gender differences in participants' reports of an event in which they were wise: men most often reported events from their professional life whereas women reported events from a range of domains including family-related events and events concerning death or illness. Study 3 showed very small differences in the characteristics participants ascribed to a male wise person and a female wise person: aspects of concern for others were rated as slightly more typical for a female wise person. In sum, the findings suggest small or no gender differences in abstract conceptions of wisdom, but larger gender differences when individuals perceive wisdom in real-life contexts.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The research reported in Study 2 was partly funded by grant nr. QLRT-2001-00280 from the European Commission. We would like to thank Germain Weber and the Austrian ESAW team who supported data collection for Study 2, Birgit Hebenstreit, who helped with the data collection for Study 3, and Johanna Bruckner, whose students participated in Study 3.