The Myth of Male Superiority: Rise and Demise

Abstract

A prolific literature exists concerning the origins and functions of the institutionalization of sex‐role differences. However, persistent problems and sharply divergent views remain. This study attempts to circumvent the nature/nurture controversy by utilizing a holistic‐evolutionary approach to the problem. The reviews of evidence from ethology, developmental psychology, and cross‐cultural investigations lead to a social‐exchange model involving differences in the elasticities of male and female labor contributions in social evolution. Assumptions about future technological progress lead to prediction of the demise of the myth of male supremacy. [sex differences in social evolution, ontogeny of human behavior]