Sex and Sex-Type [microform] : Factors in Predicting Success in the Communication Classroom / Charles Roberts and Judy C. Pearson

A study examined the differential grading that occurs in basic speech communication classrooms and attempted to identify predictors for the differences in the grades that male and female students receive. Subjects were 47 women and 48 men randomly selected from an undergraduate speech course at a private midwestern college. Subjects' self-perceived levels of masculinity or femininity were determined using the Personal Attributes Questionnaire. Subjects' final course grades, ACT scores, and high school grade-point averages were obtained from college records. When the effects of classroom context (as measured by previous academic evaluation) and the ability or aptitude of the students (as measured by the ACT) were removed, sex differences in grading still remained. Biological sex, rather than perceived sex type, appeared to be the strongest predictor for discrimination in grading between men and women. Masculine and undifferentiated (low in masculine and feminine traits) women received the highest course grades, followed by androgynous (high in masculine and feminine traits) women, feminine women, feminine men, masculine men, undifferentiated men, and androgynous men. Several explanations that may account for the consistent indication that women receive higher grades in speech courses are discussed. Apart from psychological sex characteristics, covert neurological differences between men and women may be more important than overt anatomical differences in explaining and predicting successful communication. (HTH)