Sex and temperament in three primitive societies / Margaret Mead

"Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies" is a seminal work by anthropologist Margaret Mead, first published in 1935. In this study, Mead examines the gender roles and temperaments of three distinct indigenous groups in Papua New Guinea:

Arapesh: Both men and women in this society were gentle, cooperative, and nurturing.

Mundugumor: In contrast, both genders were assertive, aggressive, and competitive.

Tchambuli (now known as Chambri): Here, traditional Western gender roles appeared reversed; women were dominant and practical, while men were more passive and focused on aesthetics.

Mead's observations led her to propose that many behaviors considered inherently masculine or feminine are, in fact, culturally conditioned rather than biologically determined. This challenged prevailing notions of gender in Western societies and contributed significantly to discussions on the influence of culture versus biology in shaping human behavior. 
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The book has been influential in both anthropology and the feminist movement, as it provided evidence that gender roles can vary widely across cultures. However, some of Mead's conclusions have been subject to debate and reevaluation in subsequent years.