Abstract
Differences in structure and cognitive abilities of the brain of men and women have long been a topic of debate. Do men's and women's brains differ and is this difference related to cognitive abilities? Ignoring the obvious differences in reproductive organs and body shape, there are certainly differences in the way men and women behave. Sociobiology tries to explain some of these differences. Neurophysiologists and neurocognitive scientists have been seeking explanations for these behavior differences for a long time. Some of the key questions involved include: Does the anatomy of a male brain differ from that of a female brain? How? Do structural differences mean that the brain operates differently in men and women? Are there differences in intellectual ability? Interesting (controversial) preliminary evidence suggests answers to these questions, but as yet there are no final resolutions.
Primary references
Kimura D. (2000) Sex and Cognition. Cambridge, MA, USA and London, UK: MIT press.
Halpern F. D. (2000) Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities. Third edition, London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.
Other references
Spear D. P., Penrod D. S., Baker B. T. (1988) Psychology: Perspectives on Behaviour. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Brannon L. (1999) Gender: Psychological Perspectives. Second edition, New York: Omni Publications International Ltd.
Gould S. J. (1996) The Mismeasure of Man. New York: W.W. Norton & Co.