The Psychology of Gender

What is gender? How much is rooted in biology, and how much is learned? How does gender shape our identities, relationships, health, opportunities, and sense of belonging?

The revised edition of The Psychology of Gender explores one of the most complex and contested subjects of our time. Drawing on psychology, biology, history, and the wider social sciences, it examines how gender is learned, lived, negotiated, and understood. From sex differences and gender stereotypes to health, wellbeing, and identity, the book explores the stories we inherit about masculinity and femininity and how they shape everyday life. More than this, it uses gender as a case study to explore the human urge to divide the world into ‘us’ and ‘them’.

Accessible, thought-provoking, and rich in storytelling, The Psychology of Gender challenges us to think beyond stereotypes, tolerate ambiguity, embrace curiosity, and see gender as a shared human project rather than a tribal battleground.