Do Women Really Have Higher IQs Than Men?

If you've heard that women have slightly higher IQs than men, you're not alone. This claim has circulated for years, sometimes backed by headlines citing research by IQ expert James Flynn. But here's the twist: the scientific consensus says there's no significant difference in average IQ between the sexes at all.

Large-scale meta-analyses involving over 15,000 participants have found no statistically significant difference in average IQ scores between men and women. As researchers put it, "no evidence was found for gender differences in the mean level of g"—that's scientist-speak for general intelligence.

So Where Did This Myth Come From?

The confusion stems from a few sources. Some older studies claimed small advantages for one gender or the other (usually 3-5 IQ points), but these findings didn't hold up in larger, more rigorous research. A 2012 headline even proclaimed that "women finally have higher IQs than men," based on Flynn's observations about narrowing gaps. But narrowing a gap doesn't mean surpassing—it means reaching equality.

Modern IQ tests have also been refined to eliminate gender bias. A 2022 meta-analysis found that small sex-based differences detected in older tests were actually artifacts of the testing methods themselves. Updated test batteries show no meaningful difference.

What About Specific Abilities?

Here's where it gets interesting. While overall IQ is essentially identical, men and women do show differences in specific cognitive abilities:

• Processing speed: Women tend to perform slightly better
• Verbal ability: Women show advantages in certain language tasks
• Spatial reasoning: Men tend to excel at rotating objects in space mentally
• Visual-spatial tasks: Men often score higher on navigation-related problems

But these specific strengths don't translate to an overall IQ advantage for either gender. Think of it like a test with multiple sections—you might ace math while your friend aces English, but you both get the same total score.

The Male Hubris, Female Humility Effect

Perhaps the most fascinating finding isn't about actual IQ at all, but about perceived IQ. When asked to estimate their own intelligence, men consistently rate themselves as significantly brighter than they actually are. Women, meanwhile, tend to underestimate their IQ.

Researchers call this the "male-hubris, female-humility effect." So while men and women have equal intelligence, men think they're smarter. That might explain why the myth of gender-based IQ differences persists despite what the data shows.

The bottom line? Your brain power isn't determined by your gender. Intelligence is complex, individual, and distributed equally across the sexes—even if our self-confidence isn't.