This paper links the sex stereotypic socialization of women towards passivity and insignificance theoretically and empirically with the greater incidence of learned helplessness and depression in contemporary American women as compared to men. The case is made for a more androgynous, self-directed and undepressed person, female or male, and both short and longer-term developmental intervention strategems for behaviorally insuring the more optimal development and functioning of women are delineated. An extensive bibliography is included. (Author)