Gender differences in brain and behavior

Abstract

In cognitive neuroscience and psychology research, we sometimes treat gender as the independent variable and examine whether or not there is a gender difference in the measured independent variable.　Interpreting gender differences revealed in research requires an understanding that the differences are not sexually dimorphic, that they are subject to publication bias, that they do not necessarily imply innate causality, and that gender differences in brain and behavior are multidimensional.　This paper will discuss the interpretation of such differences using examples of commonly believed gender differences.　I will then give examples of how gender differences have been used to justify discrimination and socioeconomic inequality.　Finally, the importance of correctly understanding the meaning of gender differences will be discussed.