can you tell the difference between boy & girl babies?

[Hannah Bell]

Can You Tell The Difference Between Boys and Girls?

My students take the following test at the beginning of our genetics and reproduction unit.It's a fun way to introduce the subject and tie it into bigger social issues.

Test your gender IQ. Take the Baby X Test below.

Directions

Get out some scratch paper and record the number of the image
Record your answer (male or female)
Answers are given at the end of the test

http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2010/12/are-girls-and-boys-really-all-that.html


60% here.

Analysis

Most people score somewhere near 50% on similar tests. The reason is that babies have not yet developed any secondary sexual characteristics (e.g., facial hair, breasts) and, without any gender-identifying cues (e.g., pink or blue clothing; bows or ribbons), a baby’s gender is not obvious (without taking of the diaper, of course).

Yet babies start to pick up gender cues almost immediately. Adults often treat babies differently depending on their gender (e.g., tone of voice, types of play).

The babies observe their surroundings, how other children and grown ups dress and behave, advertisements, television. Our assumptions and prejudices influence how our children develop their own gender identities, but so does their environment and society .

[BlueIris]

1. 80% nt

[boston bean]

2. I only got 2 right.

:-( so no I guess I cannot really tell the difference!

[Skittles]

3. I got them all right

:D

[boston bean]

4. Well aren't you special! :-)

:hi:

Obviously my - is it a baby boy/girl dar was a bit off this morning. I could blame it on not having my first cup of coffee.

[Skittles]

5. pretty good for, er, guessing!

and I've been up since 9:00 CST yesterday morning :o

[boston bean]

6. Well, that blows my uncaffeinated theory right out of the water! hrrrrumph! LOL

[cornermouse]

7. Two wrong.

I'm not sure how or why. I should probably add that I traditionally do well on multiple choice tests though. I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. Luck or instinct?

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. 6 out of 10; though it helps they've left the baby name on one of the photos

It's always nice to get one certainty on a test.

[last_texas_dem]

9. There was only one I had a strong feeling about.

I was pretty sure #7 was a girl, and I can't quite explain why. All of the others felt like complete guesses for me.

[Buns_of_Fire]

10. Well, I got 4 out of 10 right -- durn good thing I did my share of diaper-changing...

or I might have screwed up my kids more than I probably already did.

[Frustratedlady]

11. I got them all right. For whatever reason, I can usually tell by their...

ears or finger. Crazy, I know, but then I've been looking at babies for many, many years.

There was one I really had to work at and finally guessed, but it was right.

[Myrina]

12. One or the other is often used for acting roles ...

.... if one watches credits in tv shows or movies that have babies in the cast ... they don't have to have the gender of the 'character' they're 'playing.

So, apparently, most of the world thinks they all - boy or girl - look mostly like Edward G Robinson.

:shrug:

[NorthCarolina]

13. 50% here. nt

[woodsprite]

14. I scored 80%. n/t

[shimmergal]

15. This is a fairly deceptive thread title!

My first thought was, "What a stupid question! Of course you can tell the difference--just look at them naked."

I also know what the test is driving at, but having been through the gender wars of the past forty years, my other question is: "So what?"

[Ferretherder]

16. I missed almost ALL of them!

...would have done better if they had been ferrets.

Nah, not really.

[TlalocW]

17. Ferrets are cuter

:)

TlalocW

[sufrommich]

18. 3 wrong, I missed #1,#9 and #10. nt

[Celtic Raven]

20. #1, #3 & #5 tripped me up

#1 was my assumption about the name, but #s 3 & 5 I just missed.

:shrug:

[Ilsa]

19. 80% with one obvious giveaway (name). But there were other clues,

Including apparel on a few. I think if the babies were diapered with a white Onesie, I would have missed more.

[AsahinaKimi]

21. I got 2 wrong..

Ohoh. No! I am not ready yet!! (Mom keeps asking; "When will I become a grandma?")

[Modern School]

22. Are Boys and Girls Really All That Different

Hannah,

Thanks so much for reposting my blog post here on DU. It was fun to see everyone's comments. I posted Part II yesterday, for those interested in reading it, please go to http://modeducation.blogspot.com/2010/12/are-boys-and-girls-really-that.html

-Michael Dunn

[rug]

23. I got zero. Where the hell are the pink blankets?

[EFerrari]

24. Only five right and out of those, I had no clue about 3 of them.

Cute kids.

[Lady President]

25. 9 of 10

Which is kind of funny because I don't have kids or really enjoy being around them.

(No offense please, just not comfortable with children.)

[InvisibleTouch]

26. Got exactly 50%...

...which is what you'd expect from random guessing between two choices. Interesting quiz!