by Eleanor E. Maccoby (Author)
How does being male or female shape us? And what, aside from obvious anatomical differences, does being male and female mean? In this book, the author explores how individuals express their sexual identity at successive periods in their lives. Chief among her contentions is that gender differences appear primarily in group, or social, contexts. In childhood, boys and girls tend to gravitate towards others of their own sex. The text examines why this segregation occurs and how boys' groups and girls groups develop distinct cultures with different agendas. A complex combination of biological, cognitive, and social factors that contribute to gender segregation and group differentiation are identified. A major finding is that these childhood experiences in same-sex groups profoundly influence how members of the two sexes relate to one another in adulthood - as lovers, co-workers and parents. The author shows how in constructing these adult relationships, men and women utilize old elements from their childhood experiences as well as new ones arising from different adult agendas. Finally, she considers social changes in gender roles in light of her discoveries about the constraints and opportunities implicit in the same-sex and cross-sex relationships of childhood.
Format: Illustrated
Pages: 384
Edition: Illustrated
Publisher: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
Published: 15 Oct 1999
ISBN 10: 0674914821
ISBN 13: 9780674914827
Book Overview: An absolutely marvelous new look at gender differences in behavior! Eleanor Maccoby has provided an immensely readable, and thought-provoking, reappraisal of the relevant research findings, which are presented throughout in ways that immediately bring to life what the findings mean in real-life situations. The basic message is that gender differences mainly operate in terms of their effects on social interactions. When boys and girls are by themselves, their behavior differs only slightly, but the behavior of groups of boys is very different from that of groups of girls. The implications for theory and practice that stem from this conclusion are considerable. The book is a 'must' for anyone interested in either development or gender issues; it is fascinating to read and constitutes a splendid integration of concepts and findings. -- Sir Michael Rutter, FRS, Professor of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London [The Two Sexes] describes the confrontation between one of social science's premier scholars and the Gordian Knot of how to account for gender differences. It is a masterful account that sweeps through a half-century of studies in the search for underlying mechanisms. This is Maccoby at her best. -- Dr. Gerald R. Patterson, Oregon Social Learning Center Eleanor Maccoby was one of the first to examine sex differences, and she is still one of the wisest. What a gift her new book is, full of incisive analyses and vital conclusions. It provides a rare, balanced overview of the relations between the sexes across the life span. -- Deborah Tannen, University Professor, Georgetown University, and author of Talking from 9 to 5 and The Argument Culture