Sexing the Brain (Hardcover)

by Lesley Rogers (Author) "This book is about the science of sex differences..." (more)
Key Phrases: anogenital licking, preoptic region, testosterone circulating, University of Western Ontario, United States, University of Connecticut (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
The question of free will versus predestination is an old one in theology. It is a commonplace of science as well, emerging in recent years in claims that human sexuality is an expression of biological inheritance alone, that sexual orientation is genetically encoded and thus immutable.

In this slender, provocative book, a volume in the series Maps of the Mind, neuroscientist Lesley Rogers examines the evidence for and against gene-deterministic views of sex differences, ranging from 19th-century attempts to prove that women are intellectually inferior because their brains, on average, weigh 10 percent less than men's ("There is no difference between the sexes," Rogers observes, "when brain weight is adjusted for body size") to more recent efforts to isolate a "gay gene." Such research, Rogers holds, fails to take into account cultural reasons for sex differences in brain function, which "are manifestations of social values held at a particular time." Among those values are an apparent educational segregation that produces boys with superior mathematical and spatial abilities and girls with superior verbal skills--a differentiation that has no proven biological basis, just as, Rogers argues, "sexual preference is not likely to depend on a single gene, a single neurotransmitter, or a single place in the brain." Rogers's book is certain not to be the last word on the subject, but those who consider nurture to be at least as important as nature in shaping the self will find fuel for their arguments in Rogers's antireductionist views. --Gregory McNamee

From Library Journal
Rogers, a professor of neuroscience and animal behavior at the University of New England (Australia), argues that the scientific basis for genetic explanations of sexual differentiation is shaky. She traces the history of thought regarding sexual differences, summarizes the latest techniques used to study such differences, and discusses factors that might account for sexual differentiation. While highly critical of simplistic explanations of sex differences in brain structure and function, Rogers urges scientists to develop well-controlled experiments that consider the complex set of social events that can affect behavior. Experience, the author believes, can alter the biology of the brain. An individual's development, moreover, is a complex interweaving of genetic, hormonal, and environmental processes. Rogers challenges claims for the existence of a "gay gene" and the ambiguous evidence pointing to sexual differences in brain lateralization. Her feminist perspective will undoubtedly raise hackles, especially when she suggests that politicians may use dubious scientific interpretation to justify social policies maintaining inequality. Appropriate for academic and large public libraries.DLaurie Bartolini, Illinois State Lib., Springfield
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 152 pages
• Publisher: Columbia University Press; 1 edition (February 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0231120109
• ISBN-13: 978-0231120104
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,998,247 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sex biasing errors are surveyed, May 20, 2001

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

While scientific investigation is supposed to be dispassionate, in reality science's claims about sex and gender differences have more reflected cultural standards than objective research: that's the contention of Lesley Rogers' Sexing The Brain which shows how the interplay between culture, environment and behavior contributes to gender trends. Sex biasing errors are surveyed, with studies backing her probe.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars behind the headlines, July 25, 2007

By	A. Kent (Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sexing the Brain (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for anyone that has ever wondered whether there really is any difference between the sexes when it comes to mental capacity and mental processes.

The authors willingness to examine the research, data, and methodologies that sit behind the headlines is excellent. Also the links she draws between cultural belief and research methodologies is also insightful.

If you want to win sexist arguments, this book should be in your armoury.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what the title says, December 30, 2007

By	William Jefferson (Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

I was disappointed by this book because I was misled by the title and the opening statement to think that author would provide some insights into the gender differentiations of the brain. Instead, this book is *all* about disputing the scientific researches which I already knew though not to the extents of the book. A more appropriate subtitle might have been "The limitations of scientific research and the flaws of applying the research results for one's political views".

It has been said that it is impossible to understand the brain by a brain. While we are making small steps in understanding of our brain functions, we should be careful not to draw conclusions beyond what we really know. To that, this book gives ample examples.