The First Thing to Know: False Positives and False Impressions Therefore, in order to avoid prejudging causes of differences between the sexes, we’ll use the term “sex/gender” (Kaiser 2012). As we discuss below, both sex and gender can affect brain and behavior, either independently or in interaction. We use “gender” to refer to socially constructed expectations concerning the roles, identities, and behaviors associated with being either female or male. In this article, we use “sex” to refer to the genetic and hormonal components of sex – the biology involved in creating individuals with either male and female reproductive systems (Joel 2016).

In both science and everyday language, the terms “sex” and “gender” are sometimes used in interchangeable ways. However, the point of critical inquiry is not to deny differences between the sexes, but to ensure a full understanding of the findings and meaning of any particular research report. When it comes to this area of research, critiques are sometimes dismissed as “political correctness” and as interference with the scientific process. To help everyone parse the next hot new biological explanation of female/male behavior differences, here are eight things to know, look out for, and ask, from the nitty-gritty of whether there even is a difference to the grand sweep of evolutionary explanations. But researching, understanding, and interpreting sex differences in brain and behavior is surprisingly complicated, and particularly so when humans are involved. This pattern of description and explanation can give rise to an “ah ha” feeling – now we finally understand why women and men are the way they are. Then, the biological difference is suggested to underlie a behavioral or psychological difference between females and males. The difference is often described as if it were binary – females are like this and males are like that – and a natural and inevitable consequence of being female or male, assumed implicitly or otherwise to be inscribed in our genes.

1 Often, the basic structure of such explanations is along the following lines: A study reports a difference between females and males in some neural measure (such as the size of a specific brain structure). For a commentary to this article, and counter-response by the authors, please scroll down to see updates.īiological explanations of differences in behavior between women and men or girls and boys are everywhere, from scientific articles to bestselling self-help books to parenting guides to diversity and inclusion workshops to Hollywood movies.

Cordelia fine neurosexism