Once the province of a small group of theorists and researchers operating on the periphery of psychological science, gender research has charged into the psychological mainstream during the last two decades. In large measure, Janet Taylor Spence has been responsible for this transformation, challenging the traditional ideas of fundamental differences between men and women.

During the 1970s, Spence and her colleagues developed several psychological instruments that were to become the standards in the field. Using Spence's seminal work as a starting point, the distinguished contributors to this volume examine how gender defines male and female behaviors.