PSY512 Handouts by Paradoxical

Table of Contents

Lesson 01 Lesson 02 Lesson 03 Historical Background Lesson 04 Gender Related Research Lesson 05 Research Methods for Gender Issues Lesson 06 Qualitative Research Lesson 07 Biological Differences between Genders Lesson 08 Biological Differences between Genders: Hormones and Nervous System Lesson 09 Theories of Gender Development Lesson 10 Theories of Gender Development Lesson 11 Theories of Gender Development Lesson 12 Theories of Gender Development Lesson 13 Other Approaches Lesson 14 Gender Typing and Stereotyping Lesson 15 Lesson 16 Developmental Stages of Gender Stereotypes Lesson 17 Cultural Influence and Gender Roles Lesson 18 Development of Gender Role Identification Lesson 19 Gender Differences in Personality Lesson 20 Gender Differences in Personality Lesson 21 Cognitive Differences Lesson 22 Gender and Media Lesson 23 Gender and Emotion Lesson 24 Gender, Emotion and Motivation Lesson 25 Gender and Education Lesson 26 Gender, Work and Women's Empowerment Lesson 27 Gender, Work and Women's Empowerment Lesson 28 Gender, Work and Related Issues Lesson 29 Gender and Violence Lesson 30 Gender and Health Lesson 31 Gender, Health, and Aging Lesson 32 Gender, Health, and Aging Lesson 33 Gender, Health, and Aging Lesson 34 Gender and Health Promoting Behaviors Lesson 35 Gender and Health Promoting Behaviors Lesson 36 Gender and Heart Disease Lesson 37 Gender and Cancer Lesson 38 Gender and HIV/AIDS Lesson 39 Problems Associated With Females’ Reproductive Health Lesson 40 Obesity and Weight Control Lesson 41 Gender and Psychopathology Lesson 42 Gender and Psychopathology Lesson 43 Gender and Psychotherapy Lesson 44 Feminist Therapy Lesson 45 Course Review: New Avenues for Research in Gender Issues LESSON 01

Common misconception:

Gender psychology or psychology of gender issues pertains to only psychology of women. That is not the case. There is a difference between psychology of women and psychology of gender. Focus of a course in gender issues: What factors are responsible for the distinct masculine and feminine roles? The factors may be biological. Social, cultural, or psychological! Today we have loads of research evidence available that explains both masculinity, or male roles, and femininity, or female roles.

There are two Divisions of APA that directly deal with these issues:

Division 35: Society for the Psychology of Women, established 1973. Division 51: Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, established 1995.

About this course:

This course will have a multi disciplinary approach. We will borrow and benefit from the knowledge and research evidence available in psychology as well as other disciplines. The primary focus of the course will be gender issues. However psychology of women will be touched upon more than issues specific to the psychology of men alone.

Goals of a course in Gender Issues in Psychology:

To develop an understanding of the difference between gender and sex. To introduce a new approach to understanding human behavior and mental processes. To give a flavor of the scope and content of study in other popular disciplines of the day, like Gender Studies or Women Studies. To familiarize the students with the impact of socio-cultural and psychological factors on the gender roles and the status of gender in a given society. To bring about a healthier and positive change in the students’ thinking through knowledge of divergent ways of thinking. To develop an understanding of gender relations in the society. To create an awareness of abilities, capacities, psychological make up, and problems of women and research methods employed to study these. To familiarize students with the social and political background of gender differences and the gender issues.

Gender:

The perception of being a male or a female.

“Gender” versus “Sex”:

Gender refers to the psychological aspect whereas sex refers to the physiological/ physical aspect of the same phenomenon.

•Work issues; power relationships between men and women · • Psychosocial factors in women empowerment · •Discrimination and violence prevention · •Physical and mental health issues · •Gender equality and equity · Main focus: · •Female physiology, and reproductive health · •Female cognitive skills · •Stereotyping women in media · •Early socialization into sex roles · •Cultural determinants of sex differences

“Gender” refers to culturally constructed categorization of “maleness” and “femaleness” or masculinity and femininity. Biologically based distinctions between males and females are referred to as “Sex” of the person.

Who makes us behave as males or females?

Human-beings are born as male or female babies, BUT they become masculine or feminine as a result of child rearing practices and socio-cultural variables.

Gender roles:

Expectations of appropriate behavior for males and females set by a society. Gender role expectations are very similar across societies.

Gender differences:

Actual differences between males and females in terms of average capacity, ability, or typical behavior.

“Widely held beliefs about females ’and male’s abilities, personality traits, and social behavior” (Weiten, 2001).

Some questions to ponder:

Why are women more conscious about body weight than men?

Why don’t men wear make up as women do?

Can men become good “mothers”?

Why are women not hired as guards?

Why no men sew clothes at home but most professional tailors are men?

Why most chefs are men but very few men cook at home?

Why are women considered talkative whereas on average men talk more?

The answers to these questions pertain to societal role allocation and shaping.

Christine de Pizan: Generally considered the first feminist writer.

•  Wrote in the medieval period
•  In the 1700’s women propagated the significance of women’s education
•  Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, Marquis de Condorcet
•  1785: The first scientific Society for Women established in Middle berg, Dutch, and Republic.
•  1791: “ Declaration of the Rights of Women and the Female Citizen”
•  The “Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen” (1789) was paraphrased.
•  It was the French revolution’s central document.
•  1792: Mary Wollstonecraft: “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman”.

A member of men as well as women contributed to the cause of improving women’s status in the society, in the political, economic, and social spheres. All societies were patriarchal, male dominated, where women were generally oppressed and home bound. Women were denied the right to franchise, to go for education, and profession. Woman was treated as a second rate citizen with limited or no ability, little or lower grade intelligence and non trustable skill.