The Mars and Venus Effect

The Mars and Venus Effect describes how people often perceive men (symbolized by Mars, associated with assertiveness) as more dominant and women (symbolized by Venus, associated with femininity) as more nurturing, even if real behavior doesn't always match these stereotypes. For example, men might believe men are naturally more assertive or aggressive, while women assume women are more caring. This effect reflects societal stereotypes influencing our expectations about gender roles, sometimes leading to biased assumptions about individual traits based on gender rather than actual behavior.