Psychology of Gender 6th Edition
CHAPTER NO. 01: INTRODUCTION
SHORT ANSWER FOR EXAM QUESTIONS
1. Do you think the male gender role or the female role is more rigid? Why?
Generally, people view the male gender role as more rigid than the female gender role.
People are more accepting of girls acting like boys (tomboys) than boys acting like girls
(e.g., playing with dolls).
2. What is the difference between the terms “sex” and “gender”?
Sex refers to the biological distinction between men and women. Gender refers to the
psychological distinction between being male and female.
3. Do you think that “gender dysphoria” should be part of the DSM-V? Discuss
the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages are that this classification allows one to seek treatment if treatment is
desired and provides justification for insurance coverage of treatment.
Disadvantages are the stigmatization of transgendered persons as mentally ill and
potential discrimination.
4. How are gender identity, gender expression, and anatomical sex related?
Anatomical sex refers to the biological sex that is reflected in chromosomes, gonads,
and genitals.
Gender identity is one’s perception of the self as psychologically female or male.
Gender expression refers to the way a person expresses their gender identity through
appearance, behaviour, and interests.
5. What is the definition of a feminist?
At its core, a feminist is someone who believes that women and men should be treated
equally. People often incorporate images of activism into their definition of feminism,
but not all feminists are activists.
6. What are some examples of cultures that have a third gender? Describe
them.
Travestis (Brazil)
Hijras (India)
Muxes (Mexico)
Khawarja sira (Pakistan)
,Fa’afafine (Samoa)
7. What is the evidence that men have a higher status of women around the
world?
Pay disparity
Political participation and representation
Education and literacy
Access to health care
8. What is the difference between a minimalist and a maximalist?
Minimalists believe that the two sexes are fundamentally the same, and that we over-
emphasize the differences. Some minimalists argue that there is no need to even study
gender because men and women are so similar. Maximalists, by contrast, believe the
two sexes are fundamentally different. One is not superior to another; but they are
qualitatively different.
9. What is intersectionality?
Intersectionality is the recognition that focusing on a single category, such as gender,
is limiting in that categories are overlapping. It is difficult to study gender without
taking into consideration other social categories, such as race/ethnicity/social class/
religion.
10. What is the social constructionist approach to studying gender?
The social constructionists do not study gender as a characteristic of a person, as they
view gender as a characteristic of the situation. Social constructionists argue that
gender cannot be divorced from its context. The best research from a social
constructionist perspective would be research where gender is a target variable rather
than a subject variable; that is, one can manipulate whether a target is perceived to be
male or female.
11. What are the three women’s movements and what are their major issues?
The first women’s movement focused on abolition, temperance, and child labor laws. It
was largely focused on the suffrage movement—earning women the right to vote. The
second women’s movement appeared in the 1960s and 1970s and had the goal of
obtaining equal rights for women as men. NOW stemmed from this movement. The
third movement is the current movement which has a more global focus on improving
the position of women in societies around the world.
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Mary is torn between going to class and helping her friend out with a
personal problem. Mary’s dilemma is best described as:
a. inter-role conflict
b. intra-role conflict
c. multiple role conflict
d. intersectionality
2. A person whose gender identity does not correspond to their biological
sex is:
a. cisgender
b. transgender
c. gender nonconforming
d. gender dysphoric
3. Which of the following would be classified as feminist activities:
a. Using nonsexist language
b. Volunteering at a woman’s shelter
c. Marching at a pro-choice rally
d. All of the above
4. Which of these groups recognizes a third gender:
a. Muxe
b. Hijra
c. Travestis
d. All of the above
5. In the United States the majority of Americans:
a. prefer that their first child is a boy
b. prefer that their first child is a girl
c. equally prefer a girl or a boy
d. prefer to have only one child.
6. Standpoint feminists are:
a. are maximalists.
, b. are minimalists.
c. not true feminists.
d. All of the above.
7. What is the neutral third person pronoun in the United States?
a. ze
b. hen
c. der
d. all of the above
8. The goal of the first women’s movement was:
a. gaining the right to vote.
b. Obtaining equal rights for women.
c. Improving the lives of women around the world.
d. All of the above.
9. Men’s movements are:
a. pro-feminist
b. maximalistic in their philosophy
c. Christian fundamentalists.
d. All of the above
10. Which of the following are examples of nonsexist writing?
a. replacing he with “he or she”
b. Replacing he with the plural “they”
c. Replacing he with “one”
d. All of the above
CHAPTER NO. 01: INTRODUCTION
SHORT ANSWER FOR EXAM QUESTIONS
1. Do you think the male gender role or the female role is more rigid? Why?
Generally, people view the male gender role as more rigid than the female gender role.
People are more accepting of girls acting like boys (tomboys) than boys acting like girls
(e.g., playing with dolls).
2. What is the difference between the terms “sex” and “gender”?
Sex refers to the biological distinction between men and women. Gender refers to the
psychological distinction between being male and female.
3. Do you think that “gender dysphoria” should be part of the DSM-V? Discuss
the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages are that this classification allows one to seek treatment if treatment is
desired and provides justification for insurance coverage of treatment.
Disadvantages are the stigmatization of transgendered persons as mentally ill and
potential discrimination.
4. How are gender identity, gender expression, and anatomical sex related?
Anatomical sex refers to the biological sex that is reflected in chromosomes, gonads,
and genitals.
Gender identity is one’s perception of the self as psychologically female or male.
Gender expression refers to the way a person expresses their gender identity through
appearance, behaviour, and interests.
5. What is the definition of a feminist?
At its core, a feminist is someone who believes that women and men should be treated
equally. People often incorporate images of activism into their definition of feminism,
but not all feminists are activists.
6. What are some examples of cultures that have a third gender? Describe
them.
Travestis (Brazil)
Hijras (India)
Muxes (Mexico)
Khawarja sira (Pakistan)
,Fa’afafine (Samoa)
7. What is the evidence that men have a higher status of women around the
world?
Pay disparity
Political participation and representation
Education and literacy
Access to health care
8. What is the difference between a minimalist and a maximalist?
Minimalists believe that the two sexes are fundamentally the same, and that we over-
emphasize the differences. Some minimalists argue that there is no need to even study
gender because men and women are so similar. Maximalists, by contrast, believe the
two sexes are fundamentally different. One is not superior to another; but they are
qualitatively different.
9. What is intersectionality?
Intersectionality is the recognition that focusing on a single category, such as gender,
is limiting in that categories are overlapping. It is difficult to study gender without
taking into consideration other social categories, such as race/ethnicity/social class/
religion.
10. What is the social constructionist approach to studying gender?
The social constructionists do not study gender as a characteristic of a person, as they
view gender as a characteristic of the situation. Social constructionists argue that
gender cannot be divorced from its context. The best research from a social
constructionist perspective would be research where gender is a target variable rather
than a subject variable; that is, one can manipulate whether a target is perceived to be
male or female.
11. What are the three women’s movements and what are their major issues?
The first women’s movement focused on abolition, temperance, and child labor laws. It
was largely focused on the suffrage movement—earning women the right to vote. The
second women’s movement appeared in the 1960s and 1970s and had the goal of
obtaining equal rights for women as men. NOW stemmed from this movement. The
third movement is the current movement which has a more global focus on improving
the position of women in societies around the world.
,MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. Mary is torn between going to class and helping her friend out with a
personal problem. Mary’s dilemma is best described as:
a. inter-role conflict
b. intra-role conflict
c. multiple role conflict
d. intersectionality
2. A person whose gender identity does not correspond to their biological
sex is:
a. cisgender
b. transgender
c. gender nonconforming
d. gender dysphoric
3. Which of the following would be classified as feminist activities:
a. Using nonsexist language
b. Volunteering at a woman’s shelter
c. Marching at a pro-choice rally
d. All of the above
4. Which of these groups recognizes a third gender:
a. Muxe
b. Hijra
c. Travestis
d. All of the above
5. In the United States the majority of Americans:
a. prefer that their first child is a boy
b. prefer that their first child is a girl
c. equally prefer a girl or a boy
d. prefer to have only one child.
6. Standpoint feminists are:
a. are maximalists.
, b. are minimalists.
c. not true feminists.
d. All of the above.
7. What is the neutral third person pronoun in the United States?
a. ze
b. hen
c. der
d. all of the above
8. The goal of the first women’s movement was:
a. gaining the right to vote.
b. Obtaining equal rights for women.
c. Improving the lives of women around the world.
d. All of the above.
9. Men’s movements are:
a. pro-feminist
b. maximalistic in their philosophy
c. Christian fundamentalists.
d. All of the above
10. Which of the following are examples of nonsexist writing?
a. replacing he with “he or she”
b. Replacing he with the plural “they”
c. Replacing he with “one”
d. All of the above
