Retesting the greater male variability hypothesis in mainland China: A cross-regional study

Abstract

This study retested the greater male variability hypothesis in creative thinking with Chinese samples from both urban and rural areas in mainland China. The test for creative thinking–drawing production (TCT–DP) was used as the measure of students’ creativity. The samples consisted of 630 primary students from an urban area and 515 primary students from a rural area. Although the results of the study supported the greater male variability hypothesis in urban and rural samples, the male superiority pattern was supported only in the urban sample. The results of the means analysis further supported that the pattern of male superiority was only present in urban populations. Therefore, the greater male variability hypothesis in creativity has received consistent support in studies of Chinese samples, while the male superiority pattern varied across the samples. Plausible explanations and implications of the findings are discussed.