The Opposite Sex

The basic message of this pictorial survey is that innate biological differences between the sexes are real, but much less influential than sex-role stereotyping in shaping conventional attitudes and assumptions about male and female behavior. The book's intended audience seems to be young adults as much as the general adult reader, and the authors' attempts to reach out in all directions sometimes lead to awkward passages (``In love affairs, what are exchanged are feelings of love''). Despite a few scattered photographs of frolicking lovers, breast-feeding and nude or semi-clad bodies, the volume maintains the wholesome look of a high school social science text, wtih multicolored, crowded page spreads. The narrative, a thoughtful appraisal of current research, includes a wealth of information on early childhood, parenting styles, puberty, delinquency, domestic violence, marriage, divorce and on sex differences as applied to work, creativity, love and communication patterns. Campbell, a Rutgers psychology professor, assembled this worthwhile, helpful project with a team of psychologists, sociologists, anthropologists and biologists. First serial to Good Housekeeping; Macmillan Human Sciences Book Club selection; author tour. (Mar.)