ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines 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 an 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 a 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. The chapter presents the theoretical underpinnings for each of these approaches. It provides empirical evidence for and against these approaches from research in the area of conflict in marriage and the use of social influence techniques in peer and marital relationships. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the importance of identifying gender differences and similarities, and, when there are differences, understanding the underlying mechanisms that lead to these differences.
