Psychology of Women - Exam 2 Flashcards

Flashcards for reviewing key vocabulary from the Psychology of Women course.

Sexual Scripts

Socially constructed guidelines that dictate how people are expected to behave in sexual or romantic situations, shaped by culture, media, religion, and social norms.

Abstinence-Only Education

Education that promotes abstaining from sexual activity until marriage and often excludes information about contraception, STIs, consent, and LGBTQ+ identities.

Comprehensive Sex Education

Education that includes accurate information on reproductive health, contraception, consent, relationships, and sexual orientation, encouraging informed decision-making and respect for diversity.

Orgasm Gap

The disparity in orgasm frequency between men and women, especially in heterosexual encounters.

Sexualization

Occurs when a person is valued only for their sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics.

Self-Sexualization

When individuals voluntarily present themselves in a sexualized way (e.g., through clothing, photos, or behavior).

Sexual Configurations Theory (SCT)

A model developed by Sari van Anders that offers a multidimensional view of sexuality, beyond identity labels.

Friendship Styles

Refer to how individuals typically form and maintain friendships, shaped by gender norms, socialization, and class.

Relational Aggression

A form of indirect or social aggression involving manipulation of relationships, such as gossiping, excluding others, or spreading rumors.

PRESCRIPTION Model

A framework that analyzes how media portrays relationships, especially romantic ones, through a gendered, heteronormative lens.

Division of Labor in Heterosexual Couples

Describes how housework and caregiving responsibilities are divided between partners.

Relative Resource Theory

Suggests that the person with greater resources (e.g., income, education) contributes less to housework because their resources give them more power.

Reproductive Justice

A framework developed by Black feminist activists that expands reproductive rights to include social justice, emphasizing access, equity, and dignity in all reproductive decisions.

Motherhood Mandate

A societal expectation that all women should want to become mothers and will find fulfillment through motherhood.

Infertility

Defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sex.

Baby Blues

Affects 70–80% of new mothers, characterized by mild sadness, mood swings, and fatigue, typically resolving within 2 weeks.

Postpartum Depression (PPD)

More severe and long-lasting than baby blues, including feelings of hopelessness, guilt, detachment from baby, or thoughts of harm, requiring medical intervention or therapy.

Mother Blaming

The tendency to blame mothers for any perceived problems in their child’s development, behavior, or emotional well-being.

Gender Pay Gap

The persistent difference in earnings between women and men, often expressed as a percentage.

Occupational Segregation

The tendency for men and women to work in different kinds of jobs.

Double Bind

A no-win situation where women are punished regardless of how they act.

Think Leader, Think Male Bias

The stereotype that leadership traits (e.g., assertiveness, confidence) are inherently male.

Motherhood Penalty

Mothers face bias in the workplace due to the assumption that they are less competent, less committed, or distracted by parenting.

Glass Ceiling

An invisible barrier that prevents women from reaching top leadership positions, regardless of qualifications.

Glass Escalator

Men in female-dominated fields are often promoted faster and steered into leadership roles.

Sticky Floor

Refers to low-paying, low-mobility jobs that women (especially women of color) are stuck in.

Glass Cliff

Women are more likely to be placed in leadership roles during times of crisis, setting them up for failure.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Any harm or threat of harm directed at a person because of their gender identity, gender expression, or perceived violation of gender norms.

Rape Culture

A culture in which sexual violence is normalized, excused, or trivialized.

Rape Myths

Widely held, false beliefs about rape that shift blame to the survivor and minimize the seriousness of the crime.

Objectification

Occurs when people (often women) are seen as objects for others’ pleasure, rather than whole human beings.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

Abuse or aggression occurring in a romantic or sexual relationship, including physical, sexual, emotional, or financial abuse.

Domestic Violence

A broader term that includes IPV and family abuse, such as abuse from parents, siblings, or adult children.

Common Couple Violence (CCV)

Mutual, situational conflict, often low-level, occurring in stressful situations with no ongoing pattern of control.

Coercive Control

A pattern of domination and isolation, which may not involve physical abuse, but includes surveillance, threats, humiliation, gaslighting, and financial control, creating a climate of fear.

Cycle of Abuse Model

Cycle includes: Tension Building, Acute Explosion, Reconciliation, and Calm (Honeymoon Phase).

Elder Abuse

Abuse directed at older adults, often by caregivers or family members, including physical, emotional, financial, and neglect.

Feminist Therapy

An approach to therapy that centers social context, empowerment, and the impact of oppression.

Period Stigma

The cultural shame, secrecy, and misinformation surrounding menstruation.