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Alternative Conceptions of Sex (and Sex Differences)

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The Development of Sex Differences and Similarities in Behavior

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASID,volume 73))

Abstract

The apparently simple word “sex” is used to refer to our reproductive category, physiological properties, both reproductive and nonreproductive behaviors, and, in human beings, our sense of who we are. Recently, feminist scholars have introduced the term “gender to refer to the social aspects of relationships between the sexes. Terminological distinctions have not, unfortunately, eliminated conceptual confusion in this area (Unger and Crawford, In press). A core problem is the tendency to view various aspects of sex (and even gender) in terms of simple dichotomies. Nevertheless, exceptions can be found for even our most fundamental biological distinctions. Because sex is usually viewed from the perspective of mammalian physiology, the characteristics of the egg producer - female - and the sperm producer - male - are often thought of as fixed and universal. However, a number of fish species change sex (Diamond, this volume).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Montclair State College, Russ Hall, Upper Montclair, N.J., 07043, USA

    R. H. Unger

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  1. R. H. Unger
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Psychophysiology, URA-CNRS 1295, University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France

    Marc Haug

  2. Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA

    Richard E. Whalen

  3. Institute of Histology, Faculty of Medicine, University Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France

    Claude Aron

  4. Neuroendocrinology Program, National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C., USA

    Kathie L. Olsen

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Unger, R.H. (1993). Alternative Conceptions of Sex (and Sex Differences). In: Haug, M., Whalen, R.E., Aron, C., Olsen, K.L. (eds) The Development of Sex Differences and Similarities in Behavior. NATO ASI Series, vol 73. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1709-8_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1709-8_27

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

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