Looking for a Few Good Men

No less an authority than the Wall Street Journal, in its 22 June 2007 De Gustibus column "Looking for a Few Good Men" (which posits that gender differences may help explain the differential in male/female volunteer rates, in this case with regard to Big Brothers, Big Sisters) reports:

Steven Rhoads, author of Taking Sex Differences Seriously, agrees with Prof. Putnam that women are much more social. But he focuses more on what he views as innate differences between the sexes. Men, he argues, are "fundamentally more selfish." Unlike women, "they're simply less interested in people. And they're less empathetic." According to Mr. Rhoads, the trick to getting them to volunteer lies in appealing to men's egos, even their sense of duty and heroism. "Men need to be needed," he tells me. "Make it clear: We need you and this is really important."

Fundamentally more selfish. Less interested in people. Less empathetic. Need to be needed. Respond to ego appeals.

Yup, yup: sounds about right.