Huenestein, Thirza (2025) Shifting the Spotlight: Women in Cox's 1926 Study of Geniuses. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
This thesis analyzes how women are portrayed in The Early Mental Traits of Three Hundred Geniuses (1926), a pioneering study by Catharine M. Cox. Her work is often praised for its contributions to historiometry i.e. a retrospective estimation of intelligence. Out of the 301 geniuses included in Cox’s study, only eight are women. This study critically investigates how these women are presented in comparison to their male counterparts. By comparing Cox’s cases with the original biographies she used, several key themes emerged, namely: the geniuses’ relation to their social environment, traditional gender stereotypes in descriptions of personal independence and precocious intelligence, and the minimization of inclusion of mental health issues in the women geniuses lives. The key findings include that Cox’s depiction of women geniuses reflects traditional gender norms from the 1920s, presenting their genius as more socially constructed than their male counterparts. This thesis adds a feminist critique to—and aims to foster recognition of gender biases within—the Anglo-Saxon psychometric tradition by examining contemporary gender norms and stereotypes.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Mulberger Rogele, A.C. |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route/Track: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Jul 2025 08:53 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jul 2025 08:53 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5753 |
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