Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human

Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human: Developmental Paths Through the Adult Years

Though it sometimes seems genders are worlds apart, one psychologist is challenging the Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus model - and instead urges everyone to have a foot fixed on both planets.

Retired Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Richard Coan, Ph.D., has devoted a large part of his career to studying human personality and development. His new book, Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human: Developmental Paths Through the Adult Years, explains that in order to live a meaningful life, we must embrace both male and female characteristics.

"There are over a dozen different qualities that may be regarded as either masculine or feminine," Coan says. "Each of these qualities can be found in every individual. A man who is intent on displaying only qualities that he considers masculine, and a woman who is intent on displaying only qualities she considers feminine, limit their personal growth."

Coan invites readers to undergo self-assessment by responding to 10 short factor scales based on Coan's past research, regarding various masculine and feminine variables. Coan encourages readers to then apply the material to their own lives in order to experience personal growth and development.

"Some writers focus on what they see as the essential difference between men and women," says Coan. "Some focus on the need to get in touch with one's 'true' nature as a man or woman. I try to present a more comprehensive and flexible approach for all adults."

Retired Professor Emeritus of Psychology, Richard Coan, Ph.D., has devoted a large part of his career to studying human personality and development. He has also examined many views regarding the ideal goal of development. Coan received his doctorate degree from the University of Southern California, and has close to 40 years of teaching experience, most recently at the University of Arizona. Coan resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human: Developmental Paths Through the Adult Years
Author: Richard Coan
ISBN: 9781438921730
Price: $14.90

Interview with Richard Coan

Question: What inspired you to write Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human: Developmental Paths Through the Adult Years?

Richard Coan: I have devoted my career in psychology to the study of human personality, and I have done research on both children and adults. Some of my research has focused on the components of masculinity and femininity. I have often thought about the expression of these components in my own life and in the lives of people I have known well, and I have noted changes that take place over time. These reflections inspired me to write this book.


Question: Why should we embrace both male and female characteristics?

Richard Coan: There are over a dozen qualities or traits that we regard as either masculine or feminine. We think of any specific quality as masculine because we see it expressed more often or more strongly by men than by women. We consider it feminine if it is expressed more often or more strongly by women. However, each quality can be found in both men and women. Furthermore, each quality can serve a useful purpose, either by providing a means of coping with certain situations or by just enriching our experience of life. The tough "macho" male who insists on being "all man" in every possible way is stuck in a rut that prevents much personal development. The same thing is true for the docile ultra-feminine Stepford wife.

Question: How can we embrace both male and female characteristics?

Richard Coan: We can embrace both by being aware of the specific qualities we have developed to a high degree and recognising their limitations, then recognising qualities that would balance these qualities or improve their expression. For example, a person who relies heavily on asserting dominance or acting aggressively may be able to deal more effectively with other people by cultivating more compassion and tuning into their feelings and needs. A person who constantly responds to the needs and feelings of other people with compassion may deal better with his or her own needs by cultivating a bit of autonomy.


Question: Why is this a more comprehensive and flexible approach?

Richard Coan: Psychologists have often developed scales of masculinity/femininity, treating these two supposed traits as the opposite ends of one grand continuum. Some writers have sought to identify the essence of masculinity and femininity by reducing them to two complementary qualities such as agency and communion. Another writer has claimed to identify the essential difference by declaring that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. I believe all these approaches oversimplify the domain. I have identified a number of distinguishable qualities that can be called masculine and a number that can be considered feminine. When we recognise the diversity, it is easier to recognise the value of balanced combinations of these qualities. I believe that we enrich our lives as we age by finding balanced combinations that work for us as individuals.


Question: What research went into Masculine, Feminine and Fully Human: Developmental Paths Through the Adult Years?

Richard Coan: In the 1980's I analysed questionnaire data involving items that raters considered more characteristic of one sex than of the other, as well as items for which there was a difference in response between men and women. I also studied mythology and folklore in search of figures who embodied various specific qualities that I had found in my questionnaire research. In doing so, I found that each quality was represented by both male and female mythic figures.


Interview by Brooke Hunter