Women & Gender Grounded in a Social Contructionist Perspective Gender is more than just sex- a system of meanings related to power & status. Individual, interactional & cultural levels to structure people’s lives. Individual: gender identity & gender typing Interactional: stereotypes, attributions & self fulfilling prophecies Cultural: media representations, laws & religious teachings Wk1.21

Language & naming as sources of power Use of “generic he” Specialised language of physical construct (“premenstrual syndrome”) Thinking critically about language that affects gender system Ongoing language change making women’s experience more visible Empowerment, decision making Wk1.22

Women are not all alike: Differences in Social Class, Ethnicity, Age, Sexual Orientation, (dis)ability & Culture. How these differences affect women’s experiences – gender socialization, adult relationships, psychological distress & disorder. Use of cross cultural data to reflect the transformation of psychological knowledge from its formerly white, N. American, middle class perspective. Avoiding ethnocentric view. Wk 1.23

Psychological research on Gender Emphasis on change can foster social change why? Many of the problems women & girls face are the results of social structures that disadvantaged them 4

What is Feminism? The start of Feminist Psychology 1.Socialist Feminism-acts of discrimination based on social class, race, & gender are equally wrong. Sexism, racism & racism reinforce each other. Being poor & colored is triply disadvantaged. 2.Women of color feminism -white women’s movement excluding women of color & issues important to them: poverty, racism, healthcare, jobs. They join forces (Asian American) to fight racism & classism 3. Radical feminism- male control & domination of women throughout history. Women as a group are oppressed by men as a group- gives rise to research on violence against women & on sexuality, the sources & consequences of males’ greater power. 4. Liberal feminism- beliefs about equality – an orientation that connects to political liberalism. Believes that women are entitled to full legal & social equality with men, favors changes in laws, customs & values to achieve the goal of equality. Research on gender socialization, sex discrimination in employment, gender mainstreaming.. Wk 1.25

5. Cultural feminism-differences bet women & men that characteristics of women being devalued & should be honored & respected in society. Understanding the importance of unpaid work by women –child care, elderly care. How women tend to be more nurturing & caring than men. 6. Global feminism—how sexist practices are related across cultures, connected to global capitalism. Factory/assymbly work condition, forced prostitution Wk1.26

How Gender Develops & Impacts the Workplace? (Chap 4 Main Text) How do u see women at workplace? Who are these women? Managers, supervisors, secretaries? How do they behave? Are these work behaviours different from men? Do they bring different skills and abilities to work? Why? 7

RESEARCH ON WHAT MEN & WOMEN DREAMT (BURSIK, 98) Gender Development Theories. Gender stereotypes – starts early by gender inequity researchers, Myra & David Sadler (94). How boys & girls feel about their own gender. Gender roles –societal promotion “sets of norms that communicate what is generally appropriate for each sex” (Eagly 77) Cultural social forces teaching children their natural role. 8

Gender Roles & Biological Determination * Evolutionary science –scientifically determines, shapes & informs a person’s role in due based on a child’ sex Ascribed childbearing as endurance, more committed to relationship & sexual partners, more connected to children, more nurturing- suited careers in social services, teaching & nursing. * Women’s menstrual cycle – biological changes in behaviour: swings in mood, self esteem, energy level. Wk1.29

*Human Brain- hypothalamus (brain base) more delicate in women than in men. Reaction to severe emotional trauma or shock is stronger for women. Corpus callosum, connecting the right and left brain hemispheres- more pronounced in men than in women. For women, the other way around. Different callasum size makes men more left brain dominant whereas more use them equally. 10

Social Constructionism Albert Bandura –Social Learning Theory (63). How children learn: 1. Imitation & modeling behaviours observed from their parents, teachers, peers, media 2. Parroting gender specific behaviours from generation to generation- a continuing process of learning 3.The Bem Sex Role Inventory (74) as gender role determinant- traits associated with nurturing & expressiveness were feminine, assertive & directive behavioural traits were masculine ` 11