ABSTRACT
Before turning to the problem of explanation, it is as well to outline what is being explained. In the case of sex difference, the major finding is well known: women on average deviate less from the prestige standard than men. This is true for a fair number of cultures, though not all; exceptions include Malagasy (Keenan 1974) and certain Muslim communities (Lahov, personal communication). In modern urban societies it is typically true for every social class.
