Reviews - The Gendered Brain: The New Neuroscience That Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain

This book could be summarised as "we are what we do". Essentially, our brains aren't set in stone, and nor are the characteristics of our brains (, behaviours, personalities). When we do something, our brain builds the connections etc so that we'll do that thing more effectively in future. As such, things like gender roles act as a 'strait-jacket' (in the author's words) for our brains, limiting our capabilities through exposing us to some things--and not others--as well as our expectations of ourselves.

I didn't learn a HUGE amount from this book, but that's primarily because I do a lot of feminist reading as well as a lot around neuroscience--and particularly prediction mechanisms--for my PhD. As you do.

I will, however, be throwing this book at the next person who claims women "can't do math/read a map/use a hammer" because we're just "not made that way". It's all hogwash. Boo to evolutionary psychology and the retrograde conceptions of humanity and our brains in which it's embedded.

shadeslayer's review against another edition

4.25

challenging hopeful informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

I found this book very accessible, but incredibly informing. absolutely worth reading, would recommend to anyone.

bunsolved's review against another edition

3.25

informative slow-paced

louisadassow's review against another edition

5.0

Very affirming to read my childhood narratives laid out on paper as common internalised sexism i.e. Boys are geniuses and girls just work hard.

The writing is funny, common-sense driven and well-thought out. It is long in places, but very worth the reading effort.

Rippon extensively reviews reviewed brain "sex difference" studies, conclusively drawing out that there aren't statistically significant differences between male and female brains. It's not a thing. Not that there aren't any differences, but that they fall alongside external often heavily social factors.

One thing I will especially take away is the measurable impact of stereotypes on the brain, on its positive and negative reactions to the world. I will not be Princessifying, I will not use gender labels in my teaching and I will keep on highlighting the harm of stereotypes because they are brain-altering.

lisaelise13's review

3.75

challenging informative reflective relaxing medium-paced

ozsonja's review against another edition

4.5

challenging hopeful informative slow-paced

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