Significance of gender differences in the functioning of partners in a relationship

Abstract

Over a long period of time, the importance of gender differences in respect of intimate relationships’ functioning has been omitted by a great number of researchers (Faulkner, Davey, Davey, 2005 ) . It was not until the occurrence of social changes triggered out by the feminist movement, changes in education system and the job market, when the interest in gender as an important attribute o f a human intensified leading to an increased number of studies over this notion. The early research over the significance of gender focused mainly on its essential conditionings deeming its immutability and biological determination. Only in later years the important impact of environment and socialization on the shaping of gender seemed to be recognised.