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Gender Issues in Psychology (PSY512)

Table of Contents
Lesson 01 Introduction 1

Lesson 02 Feminist Movement 4

Lesson 03 Historical Background 7

Lesson 04 Gender Related Research 10

Lesson 05 Research Methods for Gender Issues 17

Lesson 06 Qualitative Research 21

Lesson 07 Biological Differences between Genders 25

Biological Differences between Genders: Hormones and Nervous 29

Lesson 08 System

Lesson 09 Theories of Gender Development 31

Lesson 10 Theories of Gender Development 32

Lesson 11 Theories of Gender Development 36

Lesson 12 Theories of Gender Development 40

Lesson 13 Other Approaches 43

Lesson 14 Gender Typing and Stereotyping 44

Lesson 15 Gender Stereotypes 48

Lesson 16 Developmental Stages of Gender Stereotypes 52

Lesson 17 Cultural Influence and Gender Roles 56

Lesson 18 Development of Gender Role Identification 58

Lesson 19 Gender Differences in Personality 61

Lesson 20 Gender Differences in Personality 63

Lesson 21 Cognitive Differences 65

Lesson 22 Gender and Media 67

Lesson 23 Gender and Emotion 71

Lesson 24 Gender, Emotion and Motivation 73

Lesson 25 Gender and Education 75

Lesson 26 Gender, Work and Women's Empowerment 77

Lesson 27 Gender, Work and Women's Empowerment 80

Lesson 28 Gender, Work and Related Issues 82

Lesson 29 Gender and Violence 85

Lesson 30 Gender and Health 88

Lesson 31 Gender, Health, and Aging 90

Lesson 32 Gender, Health, and Aging 91

Lesson 33 Gender, Health, and Aging 94

Lesson 34 Gender and Health Promoting Behaviors 97

Lesson 35 Gender and Health Promoting Behaviors 100

Lesson 36 Gender and Heart Disease 104

Lesson 37 Gender and Cancer 109

Lesson 38 Gender and HIV/AIDS 112

Lesson 39 Problems Associated With Females’ Reproductive Health 116

Lesson 40 Obesity and Weight Control 120

Lesson 41 Gender and Psychopathology 123

Lesson 42 Gender and Psychopathology 127

Lesson 43 Gender and Psychotherapy 131

Lesson 44 Feminist Therapy 134

Lesson 45 Course Review: New Avenues for Research in Gender Issues 137
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LESSON 01
INTRODUCTION
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.
•Work issues;
To introduce a new approach to understanding human behavior power relationships between men and women
and mental processes.
To give a flavor of the scope and content of study in other • Psychosocial factors in women empowerment
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 •Physical and mental health issues
given society.

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•Gender equality and equity

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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.
“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.

Gender stereotypes:

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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY512) VU
“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.

Feminist Movement:
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”.
The modern feminist movement emerged from the west.
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.
19th century Reform Movement was a landmark in the history of women liberation.
1848: New York: The first Women’s Rights Convention
J .S. Mill wrote “The Subjection of Women” in the mid 1800s. He was influenced by his wife
Harriet Taylor.
Emmeline Pankhurst formed WSPU/Women’s Social & Political Union.

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 Emma Goldman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Dame Ethel Mary Smyth, and
Margaret Sanger were among the 19th century feminists.
 In the East Qasim Amin an Egyptian jurist is known as the Father of Egyptian
feminist movement.
 In 1899 he wrote “ Women’s Liberation” and proved to be a very influential
writer (Tahrir ul Mar’a)
 Woman suffrage movement & its ultimate success brought about major changes
in terms of women’s status as well as their self- perceptions and vision.
 The First World War was also a turning point.
 Many women who never worked outside home started working.
 But the end of war meant joblessness for many women. In piece time, the jobs
were to be left for the soldiers returning home.
 Still many women carried on with nursing, farming, blue collared jobs & other
traditional occupations.
 At the same time during the world war many women entered occupations that
used to be restricted to men alone e.g. mechanical work.
 In many communist & socialist countries women were bought at par with men in
many regards.
 Feminist movement saw tough times and discouragement in countries like
Germany or Italy, in the early 20th country.

WAVES OF THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT

First wave feminists:

The early feminists, who initiated the movement.

Second wave feminists:

By this time, women in most countries had been granted the right to franchise and to contest
election for public office. These feminists were active after 1960.They were working for equality,
both economic and social. They fought for the right to contraception, birth control and sexual
liberation. Sexual liberation became a much debated issue and was criticized by many feminists.

Third wave feminists:

Third wave movement emerged in the 1990’s.The earlier feminists failed to see and deal with
variations within women. Third wave feminists try to see how different groups of women may be
having different needs, and circumstances, and requiring different solutions. Womanism, Queer
theory, and Post Modern Feminism are a part of this wave.

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