[drz]

> When female scientists talked to other female scientists, they sounded perfectly competent. But when they talked to male colleagues, Mehl and Schmader found that they sounded less competent.

Could it be that they, comparatively, are?

Nah. That would make too much sense.

Let's blame it on the all-powerful patriarchy, which we can't even prove to exist.

That's not insane at all.

[sp332]

It's the same women, in conversations with men vs other women, sound different.

Edit: you're the first person to mention the patriarchy, let alone blame it.

[drz]

Yes, and the researchers aren't even considering the possibility that these women sound incompetent when talking to men, because they actually, comparatively, are.

They discount the most obvious explanation without even testing for it, and expect to be taken seriously. What a joke.

[sp332]

Women suddenly become less competent when talking to men?

[drz]

The obvious hypothesis is that women sound less competent when talking to men because they are less competent than men, on average.

They don't sound less competent when talking to women because they aren't less competent than other women, on average.

Playing dumb won't help you win this argument. It will just make you look just as dumb as the researchers.

[sp332]

http://schmader.psych.ubc.ca/publications/2011/Talking%20sho... our male and female samples were matched by rank, discipline, and research productivity and impact

The particular men and women chosen for the study were not, objectively speaking, different in competence. This is a study of perceived competence.

[drz]

> because they are less competent than men, on average.

Not necessarily in comparison to the specific researcher they're talking to. On average.

Reading comprehension is a great skill. You should look into it.