Evolutionary psychologist Steve Stewart-Williams argues that most people misunderstand the differences between men and women. He suggests that traditional views often overstate natural distinctions, while progressive viewpoints tend to downplay them, attributing most differences to upbringing and social conditioning. Stewart-Williams advocates for a more sophisticated and scientifically grounded public discourse on the origins and extent of sex differences to inform better policy decisions.
He contends that certain sex differences are quite significant, including sexual attraction, upper body strength, height, the propensity for violence, and occupational preferences. In contrast, differences in areas like mathematical ability or conscientiousness are far less pronounced. Stewart-Williams illustrates these differences using overlapping bell curves. For example, while the shortest individuals are predominantly women and the tallest are men, and men on average are taller than women, there’s substantial overlap. Knowing someone’s height, such as 5ft 8in, wouldn’t allow for a confident guess about their sex.
English Translation:
Evolutionary psychologist Steve Stewart-Williams asserts that nearly everyone misunderstands sex differences. He posits that traditional viewpoints tend to exaggerate inherent distinctions between men and women. Conversely, progressive perspectives often minimize these differences, attributing them primarily to nurture and socialization. Stewart-Williams aims to foster a more nuanced and scientifically rigorous public conversation about the reasons and mechanisms behind male-female differences, thereby guiding more effective policymaking.
He claims that some sex differences are relatively pronounced, such as primary sexual attraction (homosexual vs. heterosexual), upper body strength, height, the likelihood of committing homicide, and occupational interests. Many other differences, however, such as aptitude in mathematics or levels of conscientiousness, are considerably more modest. Stewart-Williams suggests visualizing these differences as two overlapping bell curves. To illustrate, consider height: while the shortest humans are almost exclusively women and the tallest are men, and the average man is taller than the average woman, there is considerable overlap. For instance, knowing someone is 5ft 8in would not allow for a confident guess as to whether they are a man or a woman.