Two Sexes

How does being male or female shape us? And what, aside from obvious anatomical differences, does being male or female mean? In this book, the distinguished psychologist Eleanor Maccoby explores how individuals express their sexual identity at successive periods of their lives. A book about sex in the broadest sense, The Two Sexes seeks to tell us how our development from infancy through adolescence and into adulthood is affected by gender.Chief among Maccoby’s contentions is that gender differences appear primarily in group, or social, contexts. In childhood, boys and girls tend to gravitate toward others of their own sex. The Two Sexes examines why this segregation occurs and how boys’ groups and girls’ groups develop distinct cultures with different agendas. Deploying evidence from her own research and studies by many other scholars, Maccoby identifies a complex combination of biological, cognitive, and social factors that contribute to gender segregation and group differentiation.A major finding of The Two Sexes is that these childhood experiences in same-sex groups profoundly influence how members of the two sexes relate to one another in adulthood—as lovers, coworkers, and parents. Maccoby shows how, in constructing these adult relationships, men and women utilize old elements from their childhood experiences as well as new ones arising from different adult agendas. Finally, she considers social changes in gender roles in light of her discoveries about the constraints and opportunities implicit in the same-sex and cross-sex relationships of childhood.

Maccoby's book is beautifully written and organized. In the first half she takes us on a journey from infancy through pre-school behavior, to elementary school and adolescence. Fascinating evidence is adduced for the formation of sex-segregated social groups, which are amazingly resistant in middle childhood to well-meaning adult attempts to force integration. In the second half...issues of sex roles in the workplace and in parenthood are discussed. A variety of explanations for the seemingly universal existence of sex role differentiation are proposed, from biology to evolutionary psychology., [Eleanor Maccoby's] book is an important contribution to what some social scientists call a 'two cultures approach' to gender. She views boys and girls as members of two distinct subcultures, each of which is characterized by radically different kinds of behavior...The Two Sexes is in many ways a tour de force, as it offers us cohesive and intelligent argument about gender that brings together diverse disciplinary concerns...Maccoby's book, as an insightful review of the literature supporting a two-cultures approach to gender, will undoubtedly win an important place on the millennial bookshelf., In this volume the eminent scholar Eleanor Maccoby has provided a highly readable account of gender development, a field in which her own research and perspective play a central role...This book represents a major contribution to the field of psychology. It provides a plausible hypothesis, an accessible and scholarly review of research findings, and a clear summary of three perspectives on the possible origin of preferences for same-gender playmates--the biological, socialization and cognitive perspectives. Particularly convincing was the argument that differential treatment by parents is an incomplete explanation for childhood gender segregation. The integrated conclusion acknowledges the complexity of gender differences and points to strategies for creating social change...In summary, this landmark work by a distinguished scientist will be certain to provoke discussion among feminist psychologists, the psychological community at large and members of the public. The Two Sexes is an original and important contribution to the current lively gender debates., Heavy but worthwhile reading that can help us better understand those gender-based reading interests, how boys and girls see themselves in relation to others, and the ways in which gender identification is influenced., An absolutely marvelous new look at gender differences in behavior! Eleanor Maccoby has provided an immensely readable, and thought-provoking, reappraisal of the relevant research findings, which are presented throughout in ways that immediately bring to life what the findings mean in real-life situations. The basic message is that gender differences mainly operate in terms of their effects on social interactions. When boys and girls are by themselves, their behavior differs only slightly, but the behavior of groups of boys is very different from that of groups of girls. The implications for theory and practice that stem from this conclusion are considerable. The book is a 'must' for anyone interested in either development or gender issues; it is fascinating to read and constitutes a splendid integration of concepts and findings.

Eleanor E. Maccoby is Barbara Kimball Browning Professor of Psychology, Emerita, at the Clayman Institute for Gender Research, Stanford University.