Gender - 2

Masculinity:

Often linked to strength, courage, independence, and leadership

Femininity:

Often linked to empathy, gentleness, nurturing, and sensitivity

Androgyny:

the presence of a high degree of masculine and feminine characteristics in the same individual → More flexible and more mentally healthy

Undifferentiated:

both low in masculine and feminine

Gender role classification: Psychologists sometimes label people as more "masculine" or "feminine" based on their traits, but behavior changes

With the situation and culture, context matters as much as the traits themselves.

Culture matters: What counts as "normal" for girls and boys

varies by country

• The U.S. has moved away from traditional gender roles over the past 30-40 years, while many other countries still hold to them

Gender role transcendence:

When judging someone's competence, you need to think of them as an individual rather than through masculinity, femininity, or androgyny

Transgender:

A broad term for people whose gender identity differs from the one typically associated with their sex assigned at birth

Transgender youth have higher rates of

mental health issues, but gender affirmation reduces these

Discrimination: A study found most transgender individuals experienced discrimination in the last year, and those with more exposure were more likely to

develop depression and anxiety symptoms

Cisgender:

Gender identity and expression match the sex assigned at birth

Gender as just two categories is being challenged by research in several fields

Hyde and colleagues point to four areas (neuroscience, endocrinology, gender role classification, developmental research) that challenge the long-standing idea of gender as binary.

Hyde and colleagues (gender as more than 2): Neuroscience shows that

brains show a gender mosaic rather than highly different “his” and “her” brains

Hyde and colleagues (gender as more than 2): Endocrinology shows that

males and females are more hormonally similar than previously thought

Hyde and colleagues (gender as more than 2): gender role classification shows that

recent changes add a number of new gender identity categories

Hyde and colleagues (gender as more than 2): developmental research shows that

viewing gender as binary is culturally determined and malleable

Gender intensification hypothesis:

Psychological and behavioral differences between boys and girls become greater in early adolescence because of increased pressure to conform to traditional masculine and feminine roles.

According to the gender intensification hypothesis, who pushes adolescents toward traditional gender roles?

Parents, peers, and society all increase pressure to follow traditional masculine and feminine roles when puberty begins.

How well supported is the gender intensification hypothesis?

Still debated, the jury is still out on its validity, and recent research has questioned its accuracy.

What happens to stereotypical gender behavior as adolescents grow older?

As adolescents grow older, they tend to show less stereotypic gender behavior, which works against a simple intensification story.

What is Carol Gilligan's main claim about girls?

Gilligan argues that girls have a "different voice" from boys and that early adolescence is a critical juncture for them.

In Gilligan's view, what do girls realize in early adolescence?

Girls realize the male-dominated culture doesn't value their strong interest in intimacy.

What dilemma do girls face, and what happens to their "different voice"?

Girls face a choice that makes them look either selfish or selfless, and as they struggle with it they begin to silence their different voice.

Criticism of Gilligan?

• She overemphasizes gender differences,

• Her research rarely has a comparison group of boys or statistical analysis,

• Her findings reinforce stereotypes.

What is the overall conclusion about adolescence as a critical juncture for females?

Evidence is growing that adolescence is a critical juncture for females, yet some psychologists conclude that self-esteem differences are quite small.