Are Men and Women Different? The Gender Similarities Hypothesis
Janet Shibley Hyde’s “The Gender Similarities Hypothesis” provides a compelling argument for rethinking how we view gender differences.
By Eric Maisel
[In this 12-part series, we’ll look at several seminal studies addressing the question “Are men and women different?” Please enjoy these diverse and sometimes conflicting points of view. P.S. I would like to thank AI for its help in preparing this series. And please take a look at my forthcoming book, Choose Your Life Purposes. Pre-ordering is available!]
In her seminal article “The Gender Similarities Hypothesis” (2005, American Psychologist), Janet Shibley Hyde challenges the prevailing view that males and females are vastly different in their psychological traits and abilities.
Instead, she proposes that men and women are much more alike than different, especially in areas such as cognitive abilities, communication, social and personality traits, and psychological well-being.
Hyde begins by reviewing the historical context of gender differences research, noting that early studies often highlighted large differences between the sexes.
