NPR

A Scientist's Gender Can Skew Research Results

If a female researcher asks a man if he's in pain, he's less likely to admit it. The effect of gender on study results has been known for years. But it's rarely disclosed or discussed.
Study participants often answer questions differently, depending on the questioner's gender. Sex hormones can affect results, too.

The results of an IQ test can depend on the gender of the person who's conducting the test. Likewise, studies of pain medication can be completely thrown off by the gender of the experimenter. This underappreciated problem is one reason that some scientific findings don't stand the test of time.

Colin Chapman found out about this problem the hard way. He had traveled to Sweden on a Fulbright scholarship to launch his career in neuroscience. And

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