EXAM FLASH CHAPTER 1

Flashcards covering key concepts from lecture notes on the social cognitive approach to gender stereotypes, identity, feminism, and historical perspectives in psychology.

How does the social cognitive approach explain the origin of cognitive errors related to stereotypes?

Cognitive errors arise from stereotype-driven information processing.

What are stereotypes in the context of social cognition?

Stereotypes are belief systems that guide and simplify the processing of information about gender and other social categories.

What is social categorization and its main effect?

Social categorization is a cognitive process where people are routinely divided into groups, which helps simplify the world but can foster errors.

Why is categorization by gender considered particularly habitual and automatic?

Gender is categorized first, often automatically, contributing to biased thinking and resistance to change.

What are two key consequences of stereotyping mentioned in the social cognitive approach?

Stereotyping can lead to biased judgments and memory distortions that reinforce stereotypes over time.

What does 'gender polarization' refer to?

Gender polarization refers to exaggerating differences between men and women, making the male experience seem normative and the female experience appear to deviate from that standard.

Define 'normative-male bias' (androcentrism).

Normative-male bias, or androcentrism, treats male experience as the default standard, with female experiences seen as deviations.

What are the four cognitive biases linked to gender stereotypes?

Exaggerating contrasts (gender polarization), normative bias, biased judgments, and memory bias (remembering gender-consistent information better).

Upon what do people rely to fill gaps in judgment when specific information is absent, according to research by Chang & Hitchon (2004)?

When information is absent, people rely on stereotypes to fill gaps in judgment.

What is an attribution bias related to men's and women's success?

People tend to attribute women’s success to effort while men’s success is attributed to ability.

What did Dunning & Sherman's (1997) study reveal about memory for gender-stereotyped information?

Participants showed a higher rate of false recognition (29%) for stereotype-consistent new sentences compared to stereotype-inconsistent sentences (18%), indicating a memory bias toward stereotype-consistent information.

What is the 'self-fulfilling prophecy' in the context of stereotypes?

The self-fulfilling prophecy is when expectations about a person lead to behaviors that cause the person to confirm the expectation.

How does 'stereotype threat' affect performance?

Being reminded of a negative stereotype about one’s group can hinder performance on tasks where the stereotype is relevant.

What did Shih et al.'s (1999) study on Asian American women's math performance demonstrate about stereotype threat?

Asian American women performed better on a math test when their ethnicity was emphasized, but worse when their gender was emphasized, illustrating the impact of stereotype threat.

What is the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) used for?

The BSRI assesses individuals on femininity and masculinity scales, with high scores on both indicating an androgynous classification.

What is a major critique of promoting androgyny as a solution to gender bias?

Critics argue that emphasizing androgyny focuses on changing the individual rather than addressing structural and institutional sources of gender bias.

What is 'intersectionality' in the context of identity?

Intersectionality is a framework highlighting how multiple social and political identities (e.g., race, class, gender) combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege, shaping the self-concept.

According to Settles (2006), how might Black women view their identity?

Black women may anchor their identity more in racial/ethnic identity than in gender identity, illustrating how identities intersect and interact with social context.

What is the practical implication of cross-cultural research on gender biases?

Cross-cultural research shows that gender biases operate differently across cultures, emphasizing that stereotypes are not universal in content or strength, and practical efforts should reduce institutional sexism.

Define 'sex' as outlined in the lecture notes.

Sex refers to the physical and biological characteristics that categorize individuals, primarily based on their reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones, typically assigned at birth.

Define 'gender' as outlined in the lecture notes.

Gender encompasses the psychological characteristics and social categories constructed within human culture, referring to the interplay of psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural traits, roles, and identities associated with being female, male, or nonbinary.

What is 'sexism' (or genderism)?

Sexism is a pervasive bias, prejudice, or discrimination against individuals based on their gender, often manifesting as the belief that one gender category is 'normal' or superior.

What is the primary goal of liberal feminism?

Liberal feminism aims to achieve gender equality primarily through the passage of laws and policies, advocating for equal rights and opportunities within existing societal structures.

What does radical feminism emphasize regarding sexism?

Radical feminism examines how sexism deeply permeates all aspects of society, identifying it as a fundamental cause of systemic oppression of women and calling for fundamental societal change.

What distinguishes 'women-of-colour feminisms' from mainstream feminist thought?

Women-of-colour feminisms critique the historical over-emphasis on gender in mainstream thought, arguing it neglects other crucial dimensions of oppression like race and class, and emphasizes intersectionality.

What is the core idea of the 'similarities perspective' in gender psychology?

The similarities perspective posits that women and men are generally more alike than different across a wide range of psychological factors, highlighting the impact of social roles over inherent biological differences.

Who was G. Stanley Hall and what was his view on women's higher education?

G. Stanley Hall was a prominent psychologist who argued against women's higher education, positing it would detract from their 'reproductive power' and negatively impact their health.

What did Helen Thompson Woolley (1910) demonstrate through her empirical studies?

Helen Thompson Woolley (1910) demonstrated that women’s and men’s intellectual abilities were largely similar, refuting claims of female intellectual inferiority.

When did the study of women in psychology begin to make significant progress, and what did it correct from earlier views?

Significant progress began in the 1970s, correcting earlier oversimplified views that relied on essentialist arguments and overemphasized inherent gender differences, underappreciating external factors.

What are the core components of critical thinking in psychological research?

Core components include asking thoughtful questions, looking for potential biases, determining whether conclusions are supported by evidence, identifying alternative explanations, and applying healthy skepticism.