Delusions of Gender
Encyclopedia
Delusions of Gender: How Our Minds, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference is a book
by Cordelia Fine
published in 2010 which criticizes current evidence for innate biological differences between men and women's mind
s as being faulty and exaggerated, and argues that cultural and societal beliefs contribute to commonly perceived sex differences.
, USA Today
, and Newsweek
for having strong arguments and convincing analysis. In the New York Times review, Katherine Bouton wrote, "Her sharp tongue is tempered with humor and linguistic playfulness." However, Newsweek wrote, "Fine’s prose is highly sourced, and heavy. It’s more work than fun," though they praised her argument and evidence as "solid."
Simon Baron-Cohen
, whose work is heavily criticized by Fine in Delusions of Gender, reviewed the book in The Psychologist. In it, he responded to Fine's criticisms of the studies in which he had been involved and criticized the book as "fusing science with politics," writing, "Her barely veiled agenda, in this long, scholarly book, is to show that any sex difference found in humans can be made to vanish!" Fine responded in a published letter to The Psychologist arguing that there were still flaws in Cohen's study that he did not adequately address, and defended her positions in the book as scientific and not political. Diane Halpern, whose paper "The Science of Sex Differences in Mathematics and Science" is also criticized by Fine in Delusions of Gender, reported mixed feelings about the book, arguing that it was "strongest in exposing research conclusions that are closer to fiction than science...and weakest in failing to also point out differences that are supported by a body of carefully conducted and well-replicated research."
Book
A book is a set or collection of written, printed, illustrated, or blank sheets, made of hot lava, paper, parchment, or other materials, usually fastened together to hinge at one side. A single sheet within a book is called a leaf or leaflet, and each side of a leaf is called a page...
by Cordelia Fine
Cordelia Fine
Cordelia Fine is an Australian academic psychologist and writer. She is the author of two books on neuroscience, several book chapters and numerous academic publications...
published in 2010 which criticizes current evidence for innate biological differences between men and women's mind
Mind
The concept of mind is understood in many different ways by many different traditions, ranging from panpsychism and animism to traditional and organized religious views, as well as secular and materialist philosophies. Most agree that minds are constituted by conscious experience and intelligent...
s as being faulty and exaggerated, and argues that cultural and societal beliefs contribute to commonly perceived sex differences.
Contents
In the first part of the book, "'Half Changed World', Half Changed Minds", Fine argues that social and environmental factors strongly influence the mind, making many conclusions about innate gender differences dubious. She also discusses the history and impact of gender stereotypes and the ways that science has been used to justify sexism. The second part of the book, "Neurosexism," Fine criticizes the current available arguments and studies supporting sex differences in the mind in order to debunk them, focusing on methodological errors and logical gaps. In the third part of the book, "Recycling Gender," she argues that the use of faulty science to justify gender stereotypes can negatively impact future generations.Reception
Delusions of Gender has generally received positive reviews, and has been praised by the New York Times, The Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, and Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
for having strong arguments and convincing analysis. In the New York Times review, Katherine Bouton wrote, "Her sharp tongue is tempered with humor and linguistic playfulness." However, Newsweek wrote, "Fine’s prose is highly sourced, and heavy. It’s more work than fun," though they praised her argument and evidence as "solid."
Simon Baron-Cohen
Simon Baron-Cohen
Simon Baron-Cohen FBA is professor of Developmental Psychopathology in the Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. He is the Director of the University's Autism Research Centre, and a Fellow of Trinity College...
, whose work is heavily criticized by Fine in Delusions of Gender, reviewed the book in The Psychologist. In it, he responded to Fine's criticisms of the studies in which he had been involved and criticized the book as "fusing science with politics," writing, "Her barely veiled agenda, in this long, scholarly book, is to show that any sex difference found in humans can be made to vanish!" Fine responded in a published letter to The Psychologist arguing that there were still flaws in Cohen's study that he did not adequately address, and defended her positions in the book as scientific and not political. Diane Halpern, whose paper "The Science of Sex Differences in Mathematics and Science" is also criticized by Fine in Delusions of Gender, reported mixed feelings about the book, arguing that it was "strongest in exposing research conclusions that are closer to fiction than science...and weakest in failing to also point out differences that are supported by a body of carefully conducted and well-replicated research."
Related books
- Brain Storm: The Flaws in the Science of Sex Differences by Rebecca M. Jordan-Young
- Pink Brain, Blue Brain: How Small Differences Grow Into Troublesome Gaps -- And What We Can Do About It by Lise Eliot