PSY 3044 - LECTURES > Sex & Gender

I. SEX and GENDER: AN INTRODUCTION

A. Sex refers to a biological classification based on genetics

B. Gender refers to social conceptions of being masculine or feminine

C. The biology of sex

1. Intersexes: Hermaphrodites and pseudohermaphrodites

2. The genetics of sex

a. XX = female, XY = male

3. Genetic abnormalities

a. XXY = Klinefelter's; XO = Turner; XYY = sub-average intelligence

4. Male vulnerability

a. Sex differences in susceptibility to disease, development difficulties

D. The hormonal basis of sex

1. Adrenogenital syndrome: Genetic female with male genitals

2. Androgen insensitivity: Male embryo unresponsive to male hormones

3. Sexual behavior

a. Sexual orientation: Heterosexual, bisexual, gay

b. Transsexualism: Gender doesn't match biological sex

E. The development of gender roles

1. Expectations develop fairly early in children; ages 3-5

2. Psychodynamic theory: Imitation of parent substitutes for sexual desire

3. Social learning theory: Children learn gender roles from parents, models

4. Cognitive developmental theory: Gender permanence, gender identity

5. Gender-schema theory: Schemas influence learning of gender roles

F. Gender stereotyping

1. Consistency across cultures in views of "gender-appropriate" attributes

2. Language and gender

a. Gender-neutral use of masculine form is anything but neutral

3. Components of gender stereotypes

a. Include expected behaviors, predictions, occupational assumptions

4. Mass media and gender stereotypes

a. Television narrators are typically men

b. Television often prescribes "appropriate" occupations for the sexes

c. Print media can reinforce stereotypes as well

II. SIMILARITIES and DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MALES and FEMALES

A. Biological differences

1. Brain differences

a. Larger corpus callosum among women; overall differences are minor

B. Early analyses of sex differences

1. Maccoby and Jacklin's box-score approach

2. Current use of meta-analysis

a. Only about 10% of sex differences classified as "large"

C. The cognitive realm

1. Verbal ability

a. Women > men on anagrams, verbal fluency

i. Size of the effect is quite small

2. Mathematical abilities

a. Girls > boys on computation

b. Females = males on understanding mathematical concepts

c. Boys > girls on problem solving

i. Size of effects are typically small-to-moderate

d. Stereotype vulnerability hypothesis may account for differences

3. Visual-spatial abilities

a. Males > females on spatial rotation

D. The social realm

1. Communication

a. Men more likely to use speech to exhibit knowledge, ability

2. Helping behavior

a. Men exhibit heroic helping, women greater on nurturance

3. Aggression

a. Men > women difference interpreted cautiously

III. SOCIAL ISSUES

A. Perpetuation of gender stereotypes can lead to sexism, with widespread effects

B. Education

1. Elementary school

a. Boys reinforced for assertiveness, girls reinforced for politeness

2. High school and higher education

a. Boys and girls pursue different courses in high school

i. Science textbooks often perpetuate stereotypes

b. Use of SAT may bias admissions, scholarship decisions

i. SAT may underpredict women's grades

C. Work and careers

1. Although employment stereotypes have changed, disparities still exist

2. Sexual harassment

a. EEOC guidelines define harassment in the workplace

i. Tailhook, Hill v. Thomas, vivid examples of this issue

3. Frequency of sexual harassment

a. Estimates of 50% of women harassed at some point during careers

i. Most do not file formal reports

4. Perceiving sexual harassment

a. Men often perceive more flirtation, sexual content, in interactions

5. Gender stereotyping on the job

a. Expectation of conformity to gender stereotype can produce harsh treatment

6. Women as leaders

a. Poorer evaluation of women leaders not consistent

D. Family responsibilities

1. Wives typically more active than husbands on child-care tasks

a. True amongst dual-career households

2. Juggling

a. Women more often called on to juggle a variety of roles successfully