Gender Studies Quiz

Chapter 1 - Introduction

• This chapter sets the stage for studying the psychology of women.
• It defines key terms like gender and sex, clarifying the differences between them.
• It outlines different research methods, including quantitative and qualitative analyses, and various research designs.
• The chapter describes common biases in research design and explains how biases can affect study findings (e.g., female deficit interpretation, experimenter effects, observer effects, overgeneralization).
• Sexism is explored, with different types like hostile, benevolent, and modern sexism, defined.
• The chapter also distinguishes between hypotheses and theories and their differences.
• It covers the five basic research designs: naturalistic observation, archival analysis, surveys, experiments, and quasi-experiments.
• Quasi-experiments are mentioned due to their nature related to sex differences studies.
• The chapter stresses the self-correcting nature of the empirical process.
• The concept of a "round file" or "trash-can effect" regarding publication bias in sex research is noted.
• The idea of male as normative and "feminine evil" is discussed with examples from history.
• Terms like feminism, cisgender, and genderism are defined.

Chapter 2 - Theoretical Perspectives on Gender

• This chapter examines major psychological theories to understand thoughts, feelings, behaviours of women and men.
• Freud's psychoanalytic theory is addressed, focusing on stages of psychosexual development (id, ego, superego, libido, erogenous zones), specifically the phallic stage and the oedipal/electra complex, with criticisms.
• Sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, grounded in Darwinian theory, and their implications for sex differences (e.g., Parental Investment Theory, Sexual Selection Theory, Sexual Strategies Theory).
• Critique of evolutionary and sociobiological theories is presented.
• The contribution of Sarah Blaffer Hrdy is highlighted.
• Sociocultural theory, particularly Alice Eagly's research on dating strategies, and insights from operant conditioning are described.
• Cognitive social learning theory and its differences from social learning theory in terms of attention and self regulation are noted.
• Kohlberg's theory of moral development. The Heinz paradigm's role in testing this theory. The concept of justice vs care perspectives and their differences in males and females are explored.
• Gender schema theory is described.
• Consciousness-raising groups (C-R Groups) and their impact in the 1970s are covered.
• Intersectionality and social constructionism are defined and discussed.
• Terms like the 'person is political' and six types of feminism (liberal, cultural, Marxist, socialist, radical, women of color, and postmodern feminism) are presented.

Chapter 3 - Gender Stereotypes and Gender Differences

• This chapter explores the roots and impact of gender stereotypes, as well as gender differences.
• Key concepts that are examined include schemas and stereotypes (how they relate and are used) and the distinction between implicit and explicit thoughts.
• The concepts of communal and agentic are described.
• The Implicit Association Test (IAT) is mentioned as a way to measure implicit biases regarding gender and behaviour.
• Traditional masculine and feminine characteristics, and the distinction between "communal" and "agentic" traits, are outlined.
• The self-fulfilling prophecy and how it can be influenced by gender stereotypes is discussed.
• The social construction of gender and its impact on development is explained.
• Sex differences in various dimensions (e.g., aggression, self-esteem, activity levels) and knowledge of effect sizes are required.
• Biases and heuristics are detailed; the availability and representativeness heuristics are outlined and how they affect perceptions of gender.
• Deindividuation research on aggression (Lightdale & Prentice, 1994).
• Bem's (1975) “good listener” study and its conclusions are covered.
• Meta-analysis and interpretation of Cohen's d are highlighted in the context of gender studies.

Chapter 4 - The Intersection of Gender and Ethnicity

• The chapter examines the intersecting social forces affecting women of color, in four major U.S. ethnic groups.
• Common terminology for women of color (e.g., Chicana/Chicano, Latina/Latinos, Asian American, African American) are introduced.
• Key issues in cross-cultural research are emphasized.
• The intersection of race and ethnicity, as well as implications for affirmative action, are explored.
• Cultural heritage, deficit interpretations, and concepts like ethnocentrism, microaggression, etc are discussed.

Chapter 5 - Gender and Communication

• This chapter examines how differences in communication styles and norms may differ between men and women.
• Tannen's "Different Cultures Hypothesis" (1991) is presented, and contrasting communication goals for men and women are discussed.
• The concept of language as relating to thought is covered; including how language may reflect thought (the Whorfian Hypothesis).
• Exploring the language effect, particularly regarding sex differences and language use, is detailed.
• Gender-linked language effects (Mulac, 2006).
• Examples of sex differences in communication, such as interruptions, talkativeness, nonverbal communication (e.g., eye contact, smiling, dominance ratio), are noted.
• The importance of context in various communication scenarios (e.g., the Netpal study), is emphasized.
• Sex differences in how men and women are perceived/judged, as well as various communication styles that have been linked to gender categories, are discussed.
• The influence of culture on communication, e.g., gendered and genderless language is detailed for particular cultures.