Sex and Cultural Differences in Performance on Certain Verbal Creativity Measures

This study Investigated a previously found superiority of girls on Torrance and Barron verbal creativity measures. It was hypothesized that fluency Is the critical factor accounting for the sex differences and, If so, the differences should be apparent In other cultures as well as our own. Performance of pupils in New York State and the Isle of Skye was compared.The New York results on the Torrance closely parallel those found in previous studies. However, In Skye there are no significant sex differences with the exception of two instances in which hoys are superior. The trend of sex differences on the Barron in Skye Is the same as In previous studies in the United States, although not as in the present American sample.Cultural factors seem most important, not only for sex differences hut also for significant differences found between performances of pupils in the two countries. It would appear that the Torrance creativity measures employed In this study are culturally hound, as arc many of the traditional intelligence tests.