Gender Differences in Behavior

Gender Differences in Expression

• Men exhibit aggression, heavy drinking, exploitative behavior, and increased participation in competitive sports.
• Women demonstrate emotional expression through social responsibility.

Understanding Emotions

• Emotions comprise physiological and cognitive elements that influence behavior.
• Distinct physical changes accompany emotions, allowing identification of feelings such as happiness.
• Emotions can be categorized as positive or negative, with basic emotions recognized as happiness, anger, fear, sadness, and disgust.

Theories of Emotion

• James-Lange Theory: Emotions result from bodily responses to external stimuli; physiological reactions inform emotional labeling.
• Cannon-Bard Theory: Physiological arousal and emotional experiences occur simultaneously due to nerve stimulus from the brain.
• Schachter-Singer Theory: Emotions are identified through environmental observation and comparison to others, combining physiological arousal with cognitive labeling.

Neuroscience of Emotions

• Specific emotions activate different brain regions, e.g., happiness correlates with decreased cortical activity, while sadness is linked to increased activity.

Sexual Behavior Insights

• Men maintain a constant receptiveness to sex, while women are more so during ovulation.
• Males generally exhibit a stronger sex drive, with thoughts about sex occurring more frequently than in females (54% vs. 19%).
• Sexual arousal can be triggered by various stimuli beyond the presence of a partner.

Sexual Orientation

• Homosexuality: Attraction to the same sex; “gay” for males and “lesbian” for females.
• Bisexuality: Attraction to both same-sex and opposite-sex individuals.
• Sexual orientation exists on a continuum, influenced by genetic, hormonal, and brain structure factors.

Transgenderism

• Describes individuals whose gender identity or expression diverges from their assigned sex at birth.
• May include those identifying as neither male nor female or those pursuing sex-change operations.
• Intersex individuals are born with atypical sexual organs or chromosomal patterns, though this condition is rare.

Need for Achievement

• Stable characteristic where individuals derive satisfaction from striving for excellence.
• High achievers prefer moderately difficult tasks to prove success, while low achievers often select either too easy or too hard challenges to avoid failure.

Measuring Achievement Motivation

• Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Participants create stories based on ambiguous images, revealing achievement-related themes through a standardized scoring system.

Need for Affiliation

• Individuals with a high need for affiliation prioritize relationships and socialization with friends.

Need for Power

• Desire for impact and control over others, with those high in power seeking influential roles and displaying behavior indicative of power, such as luxury possessions.

Motivation

• Defined as factors that energize and direct behavior, encompassing biological, cognitive, and social dimensions.

Approaches to Motivation

• Instinct: Inborn behaviors geared towards survival.
• Drive-Reduction: Biological needs create drives that compel satisfaction.
• Arousal: People seek to maintain optimal stimulation levels, adjusting as needed.
• Cognitive: Motivation stems from thoughts and expectations, influencing study habits based on anticipated outcomes.
• Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Intrinsic is motivated by enjoyment, while extrinsic motivation relies on external rewards.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

• Motivational needs are structured in a pyramid, requiring lower-level needs to be met before higher-order needs:
  • Physiological Needs: Basic needs for survival (food, water, sleep).
  • Safety Needs: Secure environment for effective functioning.
  • Love & Belongingness: Affection and group membership.
  • Esteem Needs: Recognition of competence by others.
  • Self-Actualization: Realizing personal potential and fulfillment through talent application.