Brains and Sex Differences

Paper Summary:

In this essay, the writer provides a critique of Ann Moir and David Jessel's article, which is provocatively entitled "The Differences". The writer notes that the differences to which these two authors allude are the differences that they claim exist between women's and men's brains. The writer points out that according to Moir and Jessel, it is an irrefutable scientific fact that women's and men's brains differ substantially, and moreover that this is reflected in their vastly different aptitudes, interests and abilities. The writer discusses that the authors take issue with what they clearly see as a politically correct vogue of denying that such differences exist, and urge readers to simply accept the differences as a fact of biology. The writer maintains that in so doing, they implicitly attempt to negate much of the work done by feminists to date, and arguably contribute to the backlash against feminism.

From the Paper:

"In addition, given the misogyny that lurks just below the surface of this article, it is hard to believe that the authors did not have the deliberate intent of countering the feminist movement. The misogyny is evidenced for example by the fact that Gustave Le Bon's statement that many women's brains are closer in size to those of gorillas than those of men is quoted without censure, indeed, with tacit approval, as the authors then immediately go on to imply that we are in a devastating social revolution due to the fact that women are stupidly refusing to accept their inferiority. And the fact that one of the authors is a woman should not distract us from the charge of misogyny - sadly, the ranks of women also have their share of Uncle Tom's."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Fraser, S. (1995). Introduction. In The bell curve wars: Race, intelligence and the future of America. New York: Basic Books.
• Fausto-Sterling, Anne. (2002). The biological connection. In Inderpal Grewal and Caren Kaplan (Eds.) An introduction to women's studies: Gender in a Transnational World, pp. 42-3. Boston, McGraw Hill.
• Gould. (1992). Women's brains. In Inderpal Grewal and Caren Kaplan (Eds.) An introduction to women's studies: Gender in a Transnational World, pp. 44-7. Boston, McGraw Hill.
• Lipps, H. (1999) Research into female-male differences. In A new psychology of women: Gender, culture, and ethnicity, pp. 22-42; 43-50. London: Mayfield Publishing.
• Moir, Ann and David Jessel. (1989). "The differences." In Brain sex, pp. 9-20. London: Penguin Group.

More papers on Brains and Sex Differences:

• Research Paper # 110414 : "Sex Differences in Visual-Spatial Memory"
• Research Paper # 38849 : "Biology and Gender Differences"
• Book Review # 101773 : "Gender and Sexuality Differences"

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