Regarding aggression, for example, many studies implicate testosterone and other androgens in aggressive behavior and come up with evolutionary studies to explain it. Yet elements of socialization, observer bias and cultural influences, as well as hormonal influences, may also play a part.
Anne Fausto-Sterling's Myths of Gender: Biological Theories About Women and Men and The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Gould are the principal texts used in the course. The books introduce multiple perspectives on the issue via references to hundreds of researchers, including some at Emory.
During the semester, students prepare and deliver presentations that answer questions like: Who's smarter? Do women require more anesthesia than men? What do IQ (or SAT or GRE or MCAT) tests measure? What is the meaning of racial or sex differences on these tests? What is the evidence for multiple intelligences?
Best of all, the class creates a web project from their work. Our group: Cecilia Jung, Sara Siegel, Arielle Olicker, Alicia Chang, Harshita Mrythinti, and Nathan Ainslie, has decided to create a web site to educate the general public about different theories regarding genius. This includes both genetic and environmental causes, research on case studies related to genius, interviews with highly regarded Emory professors in Psychology department, surveys for outsiders to participate in determining a genius, and lastly some links that can direct the public to further information on this topic.