Myth of Two Minds

Beautiful brand new condition first edition book, no marks, no wear. We appreciate your business and welcome any questions

Gaining favor in conservative academic circles, sociobiological theory unearths Darwinian concepts of sexual selection to buttress a physiological basis for cognitive, psychological and behavioral differences between men and women. A cultural anthropologist and science writer, Benderly provocatively turns the sociobiological argument on its head and employs the same evolutionary logic to reassess the very gender stereotypes that the sociobiologists strive to maintain. Exploring an array of African and Indian cultures where division of labor, spheres of dominance and sex-specific natural selection reveal equitable alternatives to our Western model, she argues that the classic distinction made between the aggressive/acquisitive male and the nurturing/conciliatory female stems from "cultural templates" rather than genetic "hard-wiring." This is an astute handling of a complex scientific subject charged with theoretical potholes and vital political implications.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Benderly, a trained anthropologist and science writer, concludes after a critical examination of gender research that sex-linked variations between male and female brains are minimal. To answer the question of why, "despite social changes sweeping America, men and women think, feel, and act differently," she ranges widely , examining popular beliefs, the new consensus of biodeterminism in psychology and sociobiology, and recent feminist comments on the developmental and situational variables of sex roles. The result is a much-needed book on the myths of precultural gender differences and a useful review of the methodological limitations of sex-role research. Informed laypersons may be confused by the book's pose of neutrality, which gives way to a discovery that "the differences within each sex once again dwarf the differences between the sexes." William Abrams, Portland State Univ. Lib., Ore.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.