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Gender, Nature, and Nurture

• By Richard A. Lippa

• Price: $99.95
• Binding: Hardback (also available in Paperback)
• Pages: 312
• Published by:
• Publication Date: 9th March 2005
• ISBN: 978-0-8058-5344-5

About the Book

This 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.

Reviews

"...I could see this text being successfully used in introductory gender courses...or...in advanced undergraduate or graduate seminars..."
—Archives of Sexual Behavior

"Richard Lippa's book can serve us well in bringing together the current body of research on both sides of the nature-nurture debate. He presents his findings and offers opinions in a nonbiased manner."

—PsycCRITIQUES

"...a lively, engaging, and fair-minded 'primer' and 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 professional readers, its accessible style will captivate student readers, and its forthright examination of the relation between scientific debate and public policy will captivate general readers."
—SirReadaLot.org

"I would highly recommend this book to anyone, students or faculty...I learned new things and I've been reading this literature for decades....It's a great book."
—Mary E. Kite, Ph.D.
Ball State University

"...the book is able to describe an expansive amount of research on complex topics, and not intimidate students in the process."

—Christia Spears Brown, Ph.D.
University of California at Los Angeles

"I created this course around the Lippa book...the additions will make the book an even stronger teaching tool, and cement its position as unique in the marketplace in presenting balanced and up-to-date coverage of sex differences."
—Lori Van Wallendael, Ph.D.
University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Table of Contents

Contents: What's the Difference Anyway? Masculinity and Femininity: Gender Within Gender. Theories of Gender. The Case for Nature. The Case for Nurture. Cross Examinations. Gender, Nature, and Nurture: Looking to the Future.

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