 Impact on Cognition and Early Learning March 3, 2000 Being able to master the skills needed to understand and interact in both the physical and the social worlds is critical to development. Girls seem to excel at some of these skills, especially verbal communication, while boys appear to excel at others, like spatial relations. This symposium examines how biological factors, such as brain lateralization and specialization, and environmental factors, including treatment of boys and girls, influence the development of these skills. Teaching strategies to maximize both physical world and social world skills will be discussed.
Sex Differences in Cognition: Functions of the Left and Right Hemispheres According to a popular belief, the linguistic left hemisphere is better developed in the female brain, whereas the visuospatial right hemisphere is better developed in the male brain. In fact, both sides of the brain have multiple specialized functions. Some of these specialized functions are critical for interacting with the social world, including verbal communication from the left hemisphere and emotional communication from the right hemisphere. Other specialized functions have special importance for interactions with the physical world, which include mathematical reasoning from the left hemisphere and understanding of spatial relations from the right hemisphere. In her presentation, Dr. Levy will review the research on hemispheric specialization in girls and boys, and its impact on processing spatial information in the physical world and social communication in the social world. Dr. Levy is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago. Her research is in the area of cognitive neuroscience with a special focus on the hemispheric specialization and integration in the developing and adult brain.
Sex Differences in Cognition: Belief, Theory, and Current Knowledge Belief exists about whether, how, and why boys and girls differ in their cognitive abilities. Recent treatments in the popular media have mostly emphasized the biological bases of these differences. Biological beliefs have also received support from certain constructions of evolutionary theory. Belief in innate bases for differences has important educational consequences for how educators and parents treat boys and girls, what they expect from them, and whether they think they require different teaching strategies. In this talk, Dr. Newcombe will put biological and environmental approaches into perspective, indicating what the current research does and does not show. In particular, she will argue that there is reason to invest in better and more intensive experiences in certain domains, for both girls and boys. Dr. Newcombe is Professor of Psychology at Temple University and is currently a visiting professor at Princeton University, supported by a James McKeen Cattell Fellowship. She is the Editor of the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. Her research interests concern spatial cognition, both normative development and individual differences, and memories of early childhood experiences.
Friday March 3, 2000
Gleacher Center
Directions
By Car:
FROM LAKE SHORE DRIVE Walking Directions From Parking Lots
1. 200 East Illinois (outdoor) Access upper level via outdoor stairway at west end of parking lot. Walk one block south along upper level plaza to the Gleacher Center. 2. 201 East Illinois (outdoor) Access upper level via enclosed stairway within NBC building. Walk across upper level plaza to the Gleacher Center. 3. NBC Tower Parking (indoor) Access NBC main lobby; exit building. Cross plaza to the Gleacher Center. 4. Equitable Building Parking (indoor) Access the Equitable Building main lobby; exit building. The Gleacher Center is located directly behind the Equitable Building across from the NBC Tower. 5. Ogden Plaza self-park (indoor) Follow pedway signs to Sheraton Chicago Hotel lobby. Exit main lobby of hotel; cross Columbus Drive to the Gleacher Center.
Mass Transit:
RTA: 312-836-7000
_ .3 Continuing Education units
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