Sunday, January 07, 2007

Three cheers for Dr. Benbow   posted by Alex B. @ 1/07/2007 08:27:00 PM
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I received my latest APS Observer in the mail, and one of the main articles reports that 3 psychologists have been placed on the National Science Board, one of whom is Camilla Benbow.

This is significant for multiple reasons. While Dr. Benbow's academic record is exemplary (here are some pdfs), her record of research on sex differences and mathematics (along with Stanley and Lubinski) ranks her among the few in this area who do not fall into the "there are no differences" camp (a la Hyde; pdf). Moreover, her writings on the cogency of cognitive ability and its influence in educational and life outcomes (no doubt stemming from her many years working with precocious youth) is very much in line with the general London School mindset. (must read: Benbow, C. P., & Stanley, J. C. (1996). Inequity in equity: How current educational equity policies place able students at risk. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 2, 249-293.). Consequently, I think this is the first time in the NSB's History an Individual Differences researcher is on board. I am not sure what, if any, changes are in store at the NSF, but this a big step for the field of differential psychology and (hopefully) a sign of things to come.

Three cheers for Dr. Benbow!