Myth Debunked: Boys will be boys? Not!

One of the most prevalent beliefs is that sex differences determine differences in personality, values, cognitive ability, grades and education choices. However, a new study published in the European Journal of Personality found that, contrary to popular belief, such categorisation is merely an oversimplified measure of gender as a binary construct.

The researchers conducted their analysis on the basis of personality tests, values, and cognitive abilities of more than 4,100 16-year-olds from Finland. Apart from using the traditional gender-binary (boy/girl) classification, researchers also formulated a masculine/feminine measurement. The objective of the study was to find out whether being gender-typical in one aspect would mean that a person is also gender-typical in another aspect.

Their results concluded that there is no prototypical boyish boy or girlish girl. At an individual level, a boy might have boyish aspects in one area, but might not result so in all other areas. Thus, the study concludes that the phrase “boys will be boys” has no truth to it. Similarly, a “girly girl” is as mythical a construct as a unicorn.

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