A perspective from the research front on sex differences: Can we transcend the nature vs. culture debate?

Abstract

This article provides commentary for the special issue entitled, “Mechanisms underlying emergence of gender and sex differences,” from the perspective of the nature vs. culture debate on the differences between men and women. A brief review of the literature suggests that although biological and cultural explanations have often been viewed as binary opposites, many contemporary theorists view them as both compatible and complementary. From this viewpoint, I discuss the significance of all of the articles in the present special issue and how they relate to future directions in the field. My conclusion is that most of the articles are fairly impartial and have the potential to transcend the nature vs. culture debate.