ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we outline two schools of thought that have developed in the psychological literature to address the question of whether men and women are similar or different. The first approach is termed the individual differences approach, in which characteristics of the individual, such as biological sex, are examined to understand group differences in behavior. The second approach is termed the social structural approach, in which characteristics of the social context, both at the situational level and at the broader social cultural level, are examined to understand the behavior of individuals in situations. An individual differences approach focuses on between-group variability while neglecting within-group variability, which is often much greater (Feingold, 1995; Hare-Mustin & Marecek, 1988,1990; Unger, 1979), whereas a social structural approach focuses on within-group variability but may neglect between-group differences. We first present the theoretical underpinnings for each of these approaches. We then provide empirical evidence for and against these approaches from research on the demand-withdraw pattern in marriage and the use of social influence in peer and marital relationships. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of not only identifying sex differences and similarities, but, when there are differences, understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to these differences.
