What's the Latest Development?
The supposed rift between the emotions and behavior of men and women is largely a myth, say data analysts and psychologists at Washington University in St. Louis. Together, a team of researchers from both fields analyzed 13 studies that had found significant differences between the sexes. "The studies looked at diverse attributes, including sexual attitudes and behavior, desired mate characteristics, interest in and ease of learning science, and intimacy, empathy, social support and caregiving in relationships." Many of the studies' conclusion fell along traditional stereotypical lines.
What's the Big Idea?
While isolated experiments may produce isolated differences, analysis of the 13 studies revealed the opposite conclusion: "Across analyses spanning 122 attributes from more than 13,000 individuals, one conclusion stood out: instead of dividing into two groups, men and women overlapped considerably on attributes like the frequency of science-related activities, interest in casual sex, or the allure of a potential mate’s virginity. Even stereotypical traits, like assertiveness or valuing close friendships, fell along a continuum. In other words, we found little or no evidence of categorical distinctions based on sex."
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