From Worriers to Warriors: The Cultural Rise of Women

Join us live as we talk to Cory Clark about the Cultural Rise of Women. Academia, an institution once dominated by men and male priorities, is increasingly dominated by women and female priorities. Because men and women evolved different psychological characteristics, this demographic shift has had predictable consequences: increased preference for equity over merit-based hierarchy, increased preference for harm-avoidance, and increased ostracism in response to conflict.
 
Recent trends in academia demonstrate each of these consequences, including (1) elimination of standardized testing, grade inflation, investments in equity programs, (2) introduction of trigger warnings, safe spaces, anonymous reporting systems, harm-based firings and retractions, and harm-based editorial policies, and (3) the rise of “cancel culture,” or ostracism as a mode of conflict resolution. Survey data also reveal that male and female academics report different priorities for science and higher education. Male academics are relatively likely to prioritize academic freedom, pursuit of truth, and merit. And female academics are relatively likely to prioritize psychological safety and equity and report greater willingness to censor controversial scholarship and censure controversial scholars.
 
Cory contends that many cultural conflicts over the past 10 to 20 years can be attributed in part to the overturning of a male-oriented status quo toward a more female-oriented culture. Although this transition has been at times acrimonious, the institution of science is equipped to benefit from it in the long run. Academia is now challenging and testing both the status quo norms and policies that were based on previously shared values and the new norms and policies that have emerged from a rapidly shifting set of priorities. The policies and norms that can be justified with evidence as best advancing shared goals of scientific and human progress should (eventually) emerge victorious, and science could then benefit from the best aspects of male and female psychology. Although, this optimistic outcome depends upon our openness to the evidence.

Livestream link here: https://youtube.com/live/AUcdKecT3_Q