Gender, Nature, and NurtureThis engaging text presents the latest scientific findings on gender differences, similarities, and variations--in sexuality, cognitive abilities, occupational preferences, personality, and social behaviors. The impact of nature and nurture on gender is examined from the perspectives of genetics, molecular biology, evolutionary theory, neuroanatomy, sociology, and psychology. The result is a balanced, fair-minded synthesis of diverse points of view. Dr. Lippa's text sympathetically summarizes each side of the nature-nurture debate, and in a witty imagined conversation between a personified "nature" and "nurture," he identifies weaknesses in the arguments offered by both sides. His review defines gender, summarizes research on gender differences, examines the nature of masculinity and femininity, describes theories of gender, and presents a "cascade model," which argues that nature and nurture weave together to form the complex tapestry known as gender. Gender, Nature, and Nurture, Second Edition features: *new research on sex differences in personality, moral thought, coping styles, sexual and antisocial behavior, and psychological adjustment; *the results of a new meta-analysis of sex differences in real-life measures of aggression; *new sections on non-hormonal direct genetic effects on sexual differentiation; hormones and maternal behavior; and on gender, work, and pay; and *expanded accounts of sex differences in children's play and activity levels; social learning theories of gender, and social constructionist views of gender. This lively "primer" is an ideal book for courses on gender studies, the psychology of women, or of men, and gender roles. Its wealth of updated information will stimulate the professional reader, and its accessible style will captivate the student and general reader. |
Contents
WHATS THE DIFFERENCE ANYWAY? | 1 |
MASCULINITY AND FEMININITY GENDER WITHIN GENDER | 46 |
THEORIES OF GENDER | 81 |
THE CASE FOR NATURE | 119 |
THE CASE FOR NURTURE | 155 |
CROSSEXAMINATIONS | 189 |
GENDER NATURE AND NURTURE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE | 219 |
Glossary of Key Terms and Concepts | 261 |
References | 270 |
Author Index | 311 |
327 | |
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ability activities adult aggression associated attitudes attracted average behavior biological boys and girls brain causes child cognitive consistent cultures early effects environments evidence example experience expressive fact factors fathers female findings Gender differences gender stereotypes gender-related genes genetic groups higher hormones human important individual individual differences influence interact interests Journal kinds label lead learning less levels male male and female masculinity and femininity mate math mean measures men and women men’s meta-analysis mothers Nature Nurture observed occupations parents performance personality physical play preferences prenatal Press produce Psychology question recent relationships reported response result Review roles same-sex scales scores selection settings sex differences sex-typed sexual orientation social Social Psychology society spatial studies suggests teachers tend testosterone theory toys traits University variations whereas women York