For decades, science has told us that biology defines gender differences. But what if scientists – and popular culture – have got it wrong?
During an October 14 SFI Community Lecture in Santa Fe, psychologist and author Cordelia Fine probed the literature, from studies in prestigious scientific journals to the latest assertions of Mars and Venus author John Gray, to challenge assertions that attribute gender-based differences to hardwired biology. Then, exploring how cultural beliefs about the sexes subtly influence the way research is done, interpreted, and presented, Fine provided a fresh perspective on gender and on society’s long-held, and possibly mistaken, beliefs.
Watch the lecture (October 14, 60 minutes)
Fine is an academic psychologist and writer whose most recent book, Delusions of Gender: The Real Science Behind Sex Differences, was named a Book of the Year by The Guardian and The Washington Post. She is an ARC Future Fellow in Psychological Sciences and an associate professor at the Melbourne Business School at the University of Melbourne.
Read a preview of the lecture in the Santa Fe New Mexican (October 14, 2015)
Hear Cordelia Fine's interview on KSFR Public Radio (October 14, 2015, 6 minutes)
SFI’s 2015 Community Lectures are made possible through the generous support of Thornburg Investment Management.
For a list of all upcoming SFI community events, visit here.