Describe the variability hypothesis and its influence on the idea of male superiority. How did research by Woolley and Hollingworth refute these ideas?
Darwin gave the concept of variability hypothesis. He said that he noticed in animals that male counterparts had more abilities, than their female counterparts. He found that the female characteristics or abilities were clustered around the mean value. This gave female the tag of being average.
This hypothesis led to the thinking that women, had far less ability to accomplish goals in the intellectual world. It was believed that female brain was less developed than males. Women were considered inferior to men in both physical and mental strength.
It was thought that when women reach maturity, their brains were incapable of understanding higher mental processes. Even the science of phrenology, said that the size of the female’s brain is smaller which renders them childlike behavior.
It was a popular belief that women who were subjected to education were inflicting physical damage on themselves. Some psychologists had even stated that the only job of women is childbearing, and that education compromises on the maternal feeling in females. It was also believed that education also disrupted the menstrual cycle in females.
Helen Woolley was the first women to refute the Darwinian theory of variability hypothesis. She subjected 25 males and 25 females to a number of tests. It comprised of motor abilities, intellectual abilities, and sensory abilities. She found substantial evidence to refute Darwin’s hypothesis. The results showed no difference in the abilities of women, instead they hinted towards women being more able than men in terms of memory.
Leta Hollingworth was another woman who conducted experiments to refute Darwin’s hypothesis. She conducted extensive emotional, physical, and psychological tests and concluded that women were a more homogenous group than men.
She also conducted experiments using infant, college women and men and women in their menstrual cycles. It was found that mental abilities did not depend upon the gender. The women during their menstrual cycle showed same mental abilities.
She also challenged the idea of women garnering satisfaction, only through motherhood. She even suggested that women were considered backwards not, because of biological reason, instead the social norms made them inferior.