Evolutionary biologists (which I do not necessarily agree with) say that the differences stem from two different functions performed by the groups. The men go out and defend the village, and the women stay home and take care of the children. If any gender difference can be attributed to this basic difference, they claim that it is adaptive.
In this model, the men want to get out and solve the problem of the enemy attacking, and the women to talk to each other and the children to calm them down.
As I said, I do not necessarily agree with this. Most of what we see as gender differences are learned from our parents and society.