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The Essential Difference: The Truth About The Male And Female Brain Hardcover – July 1, 2003

by Simon Baron-Cohen (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 112 ratings
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We all appreciate that there are differences in the typical psychology of men and women. Yet underlying these subtle differences, Simon Baron-Cohen believes, there is one essential difference, and it affects everything we do: Men have a tendency to analyze and construct systems while women are inclined to empathize. With fresh evidence for these claims, Baron-Cohen explores how these sex differences arise more from biological than cultural causes and shows us how each brain type contributes in various ways to what we think of as "intelligence." Emphasizing that not all men have the typically "male" brain, which he calls Type "S," and not all women have the typically female brain (Type "E"), Baron-Cohen explores the cutting-edge research that illuminates our individual differences and explains why a truly "balanced" brain is so rare. Filled with surprising and illuminating case studies, many from Baron-Cohen's own clinical practice, The Essential Difference moves beyond the stereotypes to elucidate over twenty years of groundbreaking research. From gossip to aggression, Baron-Cohen dissects each brain type and even presents a new theory that autism (as well as its close relative, Asperger's syndrome) can be understood as an extreme form of the male brain. Smart and engaging, this is the thinking person's guide to gender difference, a book that promises to change the conversation about-and between-men and women.
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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Basic Books
  4. Publication date
    July 1, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    6.25 x 1 x 9.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0738208442
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0738208442
  8. See all details
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  1. The Essential Difference: Men, Women and the Extreme Male Brain
    Simon Baron-Cohen
     
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
112 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book interesting and well-written. They appreciate the solid research and challenging of previous ideas. The book provides insightful new ideas and explanations for widely known facts. It is easy to read and understand, with clear writing.

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9 customers mention "Reading quality"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book an interesting read that explains the differences between men's and women's brains. They appreciate the solid research and how it challenges previous ideas. The author does a superb job of explaining difficult theoretical concepts about the autistic mind in an easy-to-understand way.

"...All in all an excellent work with some interesting new ideas and supporting evidence...." Read more

"It is a good book to understand differences between men' brain and women' brain. Easy to understand, but mostly same issue repeats itself...." Read more

"Fascinating book that gave me lots to think about. I found myself discussing the ideas with others...." Read more

"...This is a very useful book at understanding the "cross-purposes" that often mark relationships between men and women." Read more

6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and innovative. They appreciate its explanation of well-known facts and new ideas. The book provides key scientific findings and is great for understanding autism and male/female brain differences. It challenges previous ideas based on solid research.

"...It does include the key scientific findings, albeit without the level of detail that is available from other sources...." Read more

"This is a pioneering presentation of a theory, or explanation, for some widely known facts, such as that autism spectrum behaviors are far more..." Read more

"...The book was very well written, entertaining and enlightening (case examples especially), and the appendices were interesting (tests)...." Read more

"Fascinating book that gave me lots to think about. I found myself discussing the ideas with others...." Read more

5 customers mention "Ease of reading"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read and understand. They say it's well-written and clear.

"...Easy to understand, but mostly same issue repeats itself. It is sometimes annoying." Read more

"...So it's not fair to me to be too harsh.. The book was very well written, entertaining and enlightening (case examples especially), and..." Read more

"...had been my first book by the author , I would have loved it though ; clear, easy to read..." Read more

"...His writing style keeps your interest. What I enjoyed the most was his explanation of the differences between the male and female brain." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Timothy D. Lundeen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on male/female brain differences
    Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2003
    Verified Purchase
    I've read several books in the area, and this is by far the best. It does include the key scientific findings, albeit without the level of detail that is available from other sources. What's particularly interesting is Baron-Cohen's thesis about the primary difference between male/female brains being along the axes of empathy (female) and systemizing (male), and the experimental evidence he presents for this theory.<P(...)P>It is disappointing to see some of the negative reviews posted about this book when Baron-Cohen is so careful to address the points they raise. He is not saying that autistics don't feel strong emotion -- he says they have low levels of empathy, which makes it hard for them to relate well with other people. He is not saying women are inferior -- he says they are superior (on average) in empathy, while men are superior (on average) in systemizing.
    All in all an excellent work with some interesting new ideas and supporting evidence. Baron-Cohen is careful to indicate what we know and what is plausible speculation that requires more research. Highly recommended!
    31 people found this helpful
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  • bcem
    4.0 out of 5 stars Useful
    Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2013
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    It is a good book to understand differences between men' brain and women' brain. Easy to understand, but mostly same issue repeats itself. It is sometimes annoying.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Carleen Lane
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2013
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    There has been a lot of talk about there being not much difference between men and women or that difference should not be tolerated. I think a lot of people would like to deny that they are essentially mamals. The schools are trying to turn boys into sissies and girls into football players. Boys are supposed to sit quietly in their desks without talking or moving around just about all day. If they don't they are tranquilized as having ADD. Girls are encouraged to outdo boys for some reason even though boys(men) are rather important to the job of raising a family sucessfully. Boys (men) are starting to give up on the very idea of getting along with women. I think that is the reason for more and more violence against women. Girls(women) think they can talk like boys(men) and still demand respect. It is getting to be a crazy world out there. Enjoy the book.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • HD DVD fan
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant theoretical explanation of autistic spectrum behaviors
    Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2013
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    This is a pioneering presentation of a theory, or explanation, for some widely known facts, such as that autism spectrum behaviors are far more prevalent in boys and men than they are in girls and women. It also provides an explanation for the observation that autistic characteristics occur in varying degrees of intensity, such as Kannerts Autism, high functioning autism, Asperberg's Syndrome, etc. Unfortunately, a branch of radical feminism has preferred to remain impervious to empirical data, under the politically correct mantra, and criticized the contents of the book as politically incorrect.

    I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Aspergberg's Syndrome and other autistic spectrum behaviors.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Ali-Reza Anghaie
    3.0 out of 5 stars Almost four stars...
    Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2004
    Verified Purchase
    The book started off too slow stating, and re-stating, the obvious (girls are more sensitive to babies, boys play rough, etc.). Actually I think the whole "essential" difference discussed is pretty self-evident to most adults (in general girls empathize more, boys systemize more).

    What I was looking for is information on how/why this happened (covered somewhat), case examples (men covered very well), and information on how to deal with it in some cases.

    I think this book was recommended to me for the wrong reasons for ~my~ purposes. So it's not fair to me to be too harsh..

    The book was very well written, entertaining and enlightening (case examples especially), and the appendices were interesting (tests). The referenced names provided other resources that were useful.

    The 'almost' part of my review is that I felt the book cut-off a bit too promptly and didn't try to expound on conditions of extreme-E with women. As the author notes, it's quite possilbe that extreme-E isn't as disabling in society as e-S (makes sense) but ~any~ data couldn't helped me better understand what I see sometimes.

    Worth a trip to the library at the very least. -Ali
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Abi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
    Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2024
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    Great!
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  • Kenneth Hennig
    1.0 out of 5 stars Baron-Cohen attempts to draw a difference between men and women ...
    Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Baron-Cohen attempts to draw a difference between men and women based entirely on a system of biological determinism that fails the most basic of logic. You cannot apply population statistics on an individual level. You also cannot then apply the actions of individuals on a population level with a framework of hormonal development. Yes, there are statistical averages that can tell you a lot about large groups of people, but it is a fundamental error to ever attempt to assume you can then reduce those averages to the individual level then go on to reduce it even further to the level of the gene, the level of the neuron, the level of how much testosterone, cortisol, estrogen, or any number of other hormones an individual has in their early development. This has been a debate for decades in both neuroscience and evolutionary biology, where people have attempted to claim that the brain is the level on which a "person" and their behavior can be described, outside of all other influence and the physical limitations of the world around it, or that evolution happens not at the level of the gene but at the level of a group. These fundamental errors are throughout this book, but applied to hormones and male/female sex differences.

    You should read this book, not because it's factually correct, which a lot of it was, but because it shows you exactly what type of reasoning not to fall into when trying to determine why human beings are they way we are.
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Violet P.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Insightful
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2013
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    Fascinating book that gave me lots to think about. I found myself discussing the ideas with others. I liked how the book was based on solid research and challenged previous ideas. I also like that the author discusses gender in a respectful way, without using stereotypes. I just wish this book was longer.
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Lalo
    4.0 out of 5 stars Buena compilación de datos sobre algo que ya sabíamos y buena propuesta original sobre el autismo
    Reviewed in Mexico on July 19, 2019
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    A pesar de existir la moda ideológica que niega las diferencias biológicas entre hombres y mujeres; que supone todo comportamiento como producto de la cultura, el autor expone evidencias de las diferencias promedio entre sexos basadas en la biología; los genes, las gónadas, las hormonas así como las estructuras cerebrales diferentes –en promedio. Esto sin negar el papel modelador de la cultura.

    La forma en que lo hace es asumiendo que la diferencia esencial entre ambos sexos es la capacidad de empatizar y de sistematizar. Mientras que la mujer es mejor en promedio para lo primero, el hombre es mejor para lo segundo. Teoría que responde y complementa propuestas anteriores, que suponían que ciertas habilidades individuales son mejores un sexo con respecto al otro, como las habilidades verbales, en el caso de las mujeres, y el reconocimiento de los patrones espaciales, en el caso de los hombres. Cohen apunta a que estas propuestas se pueden subsumir en su teoría.

    Empatizar supone la habilidad para sentir y entender las emociones y pensamientos ajenos y saber responder adecuadamente a ellos. Lo que se traduce en saber convivir de manera más estrecha y con mayor concordia. De tal modo, las habilidades verbales, que también ayudan a ello, pueden subsumirse en esta categoría. Mientas que sistematizar supone la habilidad para reconocer sistemas, jerarquías, mecanismos, y objetos impersonales en general así como sus relaciones. Lo cual puede incluir la habilidad para reconocer patrones espaciales.

    Asimismo el autor supone que estas habilidades tienden a ser excluyentes. Mientras se tiene más de una, es menor la otra. Lo que posteriormente deriva en la propuesta central de libro. El cerebro en extremo masculino, con alta capacidad para sistematizar y poca para empatizar, se puede identificar con el cerebro de individuos con algún grado del espectro autista.

    La manera de demostrar estas diferencias, que él llama esenciales, es aportando datos de psicología, genética, endocrinología y neurociencias desde culturas muy diversas y a partir del vientre materno hasta la madurez, e incluso en animales –tanto ratas como simios y monos–. Así pues contestando fuertemente al reduccionismo cultural; si las diferencias promedio se dan en culturas muy diversas, y están presentes desde antes de que pueda haber aprendizaje –sin el cual, evidentemente, la cultura no influye–, y además se dan en especies distintas que es posible relacionar con nosotros por el parentesco genético y fisiológico, entonces el comportamiento está regido por algo más que la cultura. Asimismo, se consideran las posibles influencias en la cultura para que existan dichas diferencias, y si tienen peso suficiente para ser el único factor de las mismas; se concluye que si bien la cultura influye en el comportamiento, no es determinante.

    Aunque el autor aporta suficientes datos para sostener que existen las diferencias biológicas mencionadas, y que el espectro autista posee mucho de lo que es típico en el comportamiento masculino, la forma de enmarcar su propuesta adolece de inexactitud. –defecto nada raro en pensadores e investigadores cuyo propósito es aportar algo nuevo–, así como las opiniones que él deriva de los datos o de su propio marco teórico.
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  • Sherrie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2020
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    Brilliant read.
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  • Christian Cavaciuti
    4.0 out of 5 stars Illuminante ma un po' ripetitivo
    Reviewed in Italy on September 6, 2013
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    Il libro, decisamente illuminante, è rivolto a non tecnici e scritto in linguaggio informale. Questo è in parte anche il suo limite, perché per rendere chiara la teoria di fondo, tutto sommato semplice, la mole di esempi portati rende la lettura un po' dispersiva. Interessante, ma poteva essere più sintetico.
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  • Mr Kimidori
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2018
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    99% good book. All should read.
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  • Z. Xiaochong
    3.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book unclear printing
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 17, 2012
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    The book is absolutely amazing! However, half of the book is unclearly printed and therefore hardly readable. My eyes are exhausted when my mind is being blown.
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