Doreen Kimura

"She [Lesley Rogers] concludes that there is no proof that fetal hormones make any contribution to sex difference in human behavior. Among the researchers she takes to task ... Kimura is the top target."

Doreen Kimura's research has focussed on biological influences on human intellectual functions, especially brain mechanisms and hormonal factors.

Her recent research has looked at biocognitive differences between men and women. For example, on average, men excel on certain spatial abilities and mathematical reasoning; women on verbal memory and some kinds of verbal fluency. Performance on male-favouring spatial tasks is known to be related to early as well as current levels of male sex hormones, in both men and women; whereas performance on female-favouring tasks like verbal memory may relate to levels of estrogen.

This work has made Professor Kimura a target of criticism from those who consider all sex differences to be culturally based.

• Lecture synopsis: "Biological constraints on parity between the sexes", from Doreen Kimura's website
• SFU Media and Public Relations: Kimura awarded Sterling prize