Psychology of Women: Introductory Concepts

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Psychology of Women Introductory Concepts

• Sources M. Matlin, M. Crawford, R. Unger

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Sex and Gender

• Sex Biological differences in genetic
  composition and reproductive anatomy and
  function.
• Gender what culture makes out of the raw
  material of biological sex.
• Psychological characteristics and experiences
  that human cultures create.

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Crawfords Dynamic Definition of Gender

• Gender is a social construct
• Gender is a classification system that influences
  access to power and resources and shapes the
  relations among men and women.
• Gender distinctions occur at 3 levels
• Social
• Interpersonal
• Individual

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Doing Gender

• When people express their gender through a
  complex set of culturally prescribed signals.
• When we perceive gender in other people by
  reading their gender cues.
• Reminds us that gender is an active, dynamic
  process.

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Sexism a form of discrimination

• Biased beliefs against people on the basis of
  their gender.
• Expressed in many behaviors cultural traditions
• Social behavior
• Media representations
• Job discrimination

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Feminism

• A belief system in which women and their
  experiences and ideas are valued.
• Women and men should be socially, economically,
  and legally equal.
• What meanings have become attached to this term?
• Can men be feminists?

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Feminism is concerned with all social biases

• Racism
• Classism
• Ableism
• Ageism

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Feminist Perspectives

• Liberal feminism
• Equality, similarities, reduce rigid roles
• Cultural feminism
• Stressing differences, valuing them
• Radical feminism
• Male dominance control are pervasive
• Women-of-color feminism (Woman-ism)
• Emphasizes different ethnic experiences
• Global feminism
• world-wide conditions

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Perspectives on Female/Male Difference

• The Similarities Perspective
• Men women are generally similar in their
  intellectual social skills.
• Social forces create apparent differences in
  abilities and tendencies.
• Congruent with liberal feminism.

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• The Differences Perspective
• Men and women are generally different in their
  intellectual and social skills.
• Feminists with this view emphasize womens
  positive characteristics that have been
  undervalued.
• Problem If we emphasize gender differences, will
  we simply strengthen peoples stereotypes about
  gender?

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• Essentialism
• Argues that gender is a basic, unchangeable
  characteristic that resides within an individual.
• All women share the same psychological
  characteristics which are very different from
  those of men.
• Universal characteristics exist that occur across
  cultures.
• Which perspective do you think is dominant in
  21st century America?

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• Social Constructionism
• Cultures (and individuals) construct or invent
  their own versions of reality based on prior
  experiences, social interactions, and beliefs.
• We can never objectively discovery reality
  because our observations will always be
  influenced by our beliefs.
• The sciences (including psychology) seek to
  discover and portray objective truth.
• Feminist psychology reminds us that science is
  also socially constructed.

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Course Themes

• Diversity of women
• Women are a diverse group and vary widely from
  one another.
• A womans race, wealth, ethnicity, and sexual
  orientation interact with gender to shape her
  psychology and life options.
• Womens psychology is inseparable from social
  realities and cultural attitudes.
• Research shows that psychological gender
  differences are typically small and inconsistent.