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INTRODUCTION:Common misconception, Some questions to ponder

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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
VU
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
Main focus:
approach.
·  We will borrow and benefit from the
·Female physiology, and reproductive health
knowledge  and  research  evidence
available in psychology as well as other
disciplines.
·Female cognitive skills
·  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
·Early socialization into sex roles
alone.
Goals of a course in Gender Issues in Psychology:
·Stereotyping women in media
To develop an understanding of the difference between
gender and sex.
To introduce a new approach to understanding human
·Cultural determinants of sex differences
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
·Work issues;
psychological factors on the gender roles and the status of gender
power relationships between men and women
in a given society.
To bring about a healthier and positive change in the students'
· Psychosocial factors in women empowerment
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
·Physical and mental health issues
study these.
To familiarize students with the social and political background of
gender differences and the gender issues.
·Discrimination and violence prevention
Gender:
The perception of being a male or a female.
·Gender equality and equity
"Gender" versus "Sex":
Gender refers to the psychological aspect whereas sex refers to the
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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
VU
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:
"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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Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)
VU
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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Table of Contents:
  1. INTRODUCTION:Common misconception, Some questions to ponder
  2. FEMINIST MOVEMENT:Forms or Varieties of Feminism, First wave feminists
  3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:Functionalism, Psychoanalytic Psychology:
  4. Gender- related Research:Andocentricity, Overgeneralizing, Gender Blindness
  5. RESEARCH METHODS FOR GENDER ISSUES:The Procedure of Content Analysis
  6. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:Limitations Of Quantitative Research
  7. BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENDERSHormones and Chromosomes
  8. BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GENDERS: HORMONES AND NERVOUS SYSTEM
  9. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT:The Biological Approach,
  10. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (2):The Behavioral Approach
  11. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (3):The Cognitive Approach
  12. THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT (3):Psychoanalytic Feminism
  13. OTHER APPROACHES:The Humanistic Approach, Cultural Influences
  14. GENDER TYPING AND STEREOTYPING:Development of sex-typing
  15. GENDER STEREOTYPES:Some commonly held Gender Stereotypes
  16. Developmental Stages of Gender Stereotypes:Psychoanalytic Approach, Hostile sexism
  17. CULTURAL INFLUENCE & GENDER ROLES:Arapesh, Mundugumor
  18. DEVELOPMENT OF GENDER ROLE IDENTIFICATION:Gender Role Preference
  19. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY:GENDER DIFFERENCES IN BULLYING
  20. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN PERSONALITY:GENDER, AFFILIATION AND FRIENDSHIP
  21. COGNITIVE DIFFERENCES:Gender Differences in I.Q, Gender and Verbal Ability
  22. GENDER AND MEDIA:Print Media and Portrayal of Genders
  23. GENDER AND EMOTION:The components of Emotions
  24. GENDER, EMOTION, & MOTIVATION:Affiliation, Love, Jealousy
  25. GENDER AND EDUCATION:Impact of Educational Deprivation
  26. GENDER, WORK AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT:Informal Work
  27. GENDER, WORK AND WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT (2):Glass-Ceiling Effect
  28. GENDER, WORK & RELATED ISSUES:Sexual Harassment at Workplace
  29. GENDER AND VIOLENCE:Domestic Violence, Patriarchal terrorism
  30. GENDER AND HEALTH:The Significance of Women’s Health
  31. GENDER, HEALTH, AND AGING:Genetic Protection, Behavioral Factors
  32. GENDER, HEALTH, AND AGING:Physiological /Biological Effects, Changes in Appearance
  33. GENDER DIFFERENCES IN AGING:Marriage and Loneliness, Empty Nest Syndrome
  34. GENDER AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIORS:Fitness and Exercise
  35. GENDER AND HEALTH PROMOTING BEHAVIOR:The Classic Alameda County Study
  36. GENDER AND HEART DISEASE:Angina Pectoris, The Risk factors in CHD
  37. GENDER AND CANCER:The Trend of Mortality Rates from Cancer
  38. GENDER AND HIV/AIDS:Symptoms of AIDS, Mode of Transmission
  39. PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH FEMALES’ REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
  40. OBESITY AND WEIGHT CONTROL:Consequences of Obesity, Eating Disorders
  41. GENDER AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:Gender, Stress and Coping
  42. GENDER AND PSYCHOPATHOLOGY:The Diagnostic Criteria
  43. GENDER AND PSYCHOTHERAPY:Traditional Versus Feminist Theory
  44. FEMINIST THERAPY:Changes targeted at societal level
  45. COURSE REVIEW AND DISCUSSION OF NEW AVENUES FOR RESEARCH IN GENDER ISSUES