Gender Differences

This volume summarises and addresses the validity of research into gender differences, and also raises questions regarding the ideology behind the research.

In the third edition of her popular text, Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities, Diane Halpern tackles fundamental questions about the meaning of sex differences in cognition and why people are so afraid of the differences. She provides a comprehensive context for understanding the theories and research on this controversial topic. The author employs the psychobiosocial model of cognition to negotiate a cease fire on the nature-nurture wars and offers a more holistic and integrative conceptualization of the forces that make people unique. This new edition reflects the explosion of theories and research in the area over the past several years. New techniques for peering into the human brain have changed the nature of the questions being asked and the kinds of answers that can be expected. There have been surprising new findings on the influence of sex hormones on cognitive abilities across the life span, as well as an increasing number of studies examining how attention paid to category variables such as one's sex, race, or age affects unconscious and automatic cognitive processes. Written in a clear, engaging style, this new edition takes a refreshing look at the science and politics of cognitive sex differences. Although it is a comprehensive and up-to-date synthesis of scientific theory and research into how, why, when, and to what extent females and males differ in intellectual abilities, it conveys complex ideas and interrelationships among variables in an engrossing and understandable manner, bridging the gap between sensationalized 'pop' literature and highly technical scientific journals. Halpern's thought-provoking perspectives on this controversial topic will be of interest to students and professionals alike. [features used for book mailer] FEATURES: *Includes new information about sex differences and similarities in the brain, the role of sex hormones on cognition (including exciting new work on hormone replacement therapy during menopause), new perspectives from evolutionary psychology, the way stereotypes and other group-based expectations unconsciously and automatically influence thought, the influence of pervasive sex-differentiated child rearing and other sex role effects, and understanding how research is conducted and interpreted. *Takes a cognitive process approach that examines similarities and differences in visuospatial working memory, verbal working memory, long-term acquisition and retrieval, sensation and perception, and other stages in information processing. *Provides a developmental analysis of sex differences and similarities in cognition extending from the early prenatal phase into very old age. *Tackles both political and scientific issues and explains how they influence each other--readers are warned that science is not value-free. *Uses cross-cultural data and warns readers about the limitations on conclusions that have not been assessed in multiple cultures. *Includes many new figures and tables that summarize complex issues and provide section reviews. It is a beautifully written book by a master teacher who really cares about presenting a clear and honest picture of contemporary psychology's most politicized topic.

Do women express their feelings more than men? Popular stereotypes say they do, but in this provocative book, Leslie Brody breaks with conventional wisdom. Integrating a wealth of perspectives and research--biological, sociocultural, developmental--her work explores the nature and extent of gender differences in emotional expression, as well as the endlessly complex question of how such differences come about. Nurture, far more than nature, emerges here as the stronger force in fashioning gender differences in emotional expression. Brody shows that whether and how men and women express their feelings varies widely from situation to situation and from culture to culture, and depends on a number of particular characteristics including age, ethnicity, cultural background, power, and status. Especially pertinent is the organization of the family, in which boys and girls elicit and absorb different emotional strategies. Brody also examines the importance of gender roles, whether in the family, the peer group, or the culture at large, as men and women use various patterns of emotional expression to adapt to power and status imbalances. Lucid and level-headed, Gender, Emotion, and the Family offers an unusually rich and nuanced picture of the great range of male and female emotional styles, and the variety of the human character.

Focusing on the emergence of gender difference as a major life transition, this study provides a summary of interdisciplinary research that includes contributions from an international team of leading experts. Puberty is one of the most important life transitions. At no other time are there such significant and rapid transformations in biology and social and psychological development. Topics covered in this volume include biological aspects of puberty, body image, aggression, sexual abuse, opposite-sex relationships and the psychopathology of puberty.

Numerous publications have addressed gender issues from a social or a developmental psychological perspective. This volume breaks new ground in advancing a genuine synthesis of theory and research from these two disciplines. Building on the premise that a full understanding of the multifaceted nature of gender can be achieved only through a wider focus on processes of development and social influence, the contributors examine theoretical approaches to gender development and socialization, gender categorization and interpersonal behavior, and group-level and cultural forces that affect gender socialization and behavior. The book will be of interest to students and professionals in social psychology, developmental psychology, gender studies, sociology, anthropology, and educational psychology.

Sex and Gender (2nd edt.) is a substantially revised edition of a classic text. Adopting a balanced approach to the often controversial study of sex differences, the authors introduce the reader to the fundamental questions relating to sex and gender in an accessible way. Drawing on the latest research, new developments are explored such as the rise of evolutionary psychology and the influence of Social Role Theory as well as new psychoanalytic and ethno-methodological approaches which have all contributed to a greater understanding of the complex nature of masculinity and femininity.

Acknowledgments List of Tables List of Figures Introduction Cross-National Variations Within-Nation Variations Temporal Variations Conclusion Appendix A: The Surveys Appendix B: The Intervening and Dependent Variables Appendix C: The Independent Variables Appendix D: Sex Differences in Political Participation Bibliography Index