Eve's rib : the biological roots of sex differences
Few people would oppose equal opportunity for men and women, but Eve's Rib offers compelling evidence that it may be unrealistic to expect an equal outcome. Results of multidiscipline experiments as well as serendipitous findings lead Pool to conclude that the hormonal environment (principally, testosterone level) in the womb launches fetal brain development down either a distinctively male or female path, which is expressed in gender-specific preferences for childhood activities. Other studies indicate that at critical stages of maturation, hormones continue to communicate with the cerebral cortex to further develop gender-biased thought processing, resulting in a hierarchy of cognitive aptitudes and social strategies that propels the child along the road to adeptness in either traditionally masculine or feminine pursuits. Pool suggests, however, that although hormones configure predispositions, society may amplify or moderate these tendencies, and that it is the interaction with the environment that creates a person.Different but equal -- A tale of two sexes -- Beyond the birds and the bees -- Echoes of the womb -- My brain's bigger than your brain -- Not quite the opposite sex -- Variations on a theme -- Raging hormones -- Nature/nurture -- Echoes of the past -- Where do we go from here
1955Robert Pool24 cm
