Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities

Thoroughly updated to include new research on brain and behavior, this text will be suitable for courses on gender studies, individual differences, and cognition.

Diane F. Halpern is the Trustee Professor of Psychology and Roberts Fellow at Claremont McKenna College. She is a past-president of the American Psychological Association, the Western Psychological Association, the Society for General Psychology, and the Society for the Teaching of Psychology. Professor Halpern has won many awards for her teaching and research, including the Outstanding Professor Award from the Western Psychological Association (2002); the 1999 American Psychological Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching; 1996 Distinguished Career Award for Contributions to Education given by the American Psychological Association; the California State University's State-Wide Outstanding Professor Award; the Outstanding Alumna Award from the University of Cincinnati; the Silver Medal Award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education; the Wang Family Excellence Award; and the G. Stanley Hall Lecture Award from the American Psychological Association.

1. Why Should We Study Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities? 2. Searching For Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities. 3. Empirical Evidence for Cognitive Sex Differences. 4. Biological Hypotheses Part I: Genes and Hormones. 5. Biological Hypotheses Part II: Brains, Evolutionary Pressures, and Brain-Behavior Relationships. 6. Psychosocial Hypotheses Part I: Sex Role Stereotypes Throughout the Life Span. 7. Psychosocial Hypotheses Part II: Theoretical Perspectives for Understanding the Role of Psychosocial Variables. 8. Using a Biopsychosocial Perspective to Understand Cognitive Sex Differences.