Anth 331: Sex and Gender - Lecture 1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the Anth 331 Introductory Lecture on Sex and Gender, covering foundational definitions, theoretical hypotheses, and course concepts.

Sex

A set of biological attributes primarily associated with physical and physiological features, such as chromosomes and reproductive/sexual anatomy.

Gender

The socially constructed meaning given to different groups of people (girls, women, boys, men, and gender-diverse people), which influences the structural arrangements of society.

Gender Identity

An individual's internal experience and naming of their gender; a deeply held internal sense of self as masculine, feminine, a blend of both, neither, or something else.

Sexual Identity

Refers to who an individual is attracted to. Summarized by Diane Ehrnesaft as having 'to do with who you get into bed with', in contrast to gender identity which is 'who you get into bed as'.

Gender Stereotype

Society's beliefs and attitudes about what activities and behaviors are considered 'appropriately' or 'ideally' masculine or feminine.

Feminine Prescriptions

A learned set of standardized traits socially expected of women (extracted from Prentice & Carranza, 2008), including warm & kind, wholesome, interest in children, expresses emotion, loyal, spiritual, and sensitive.

Masculine Prescriptions

A learned set of standardized traits socially expected of men (extracted from Prentice & Carranza, 2008), including business sense, willing to take risks, athletic, consistent, leadership ability, aggressive, and self-reliant.

Essentialism

The notion that all women (as a group) and all men (as a group) share certain universal experiences because of their biology, implying that gender roles are fixed by nature ('anatomy is destiny').

Gender Differences Hypothesis

The hypothesis proposing that men and women are psychologically very different and hold distinctly opposite characteristics.

Gender Similarities Hypothesis

The hypothesis holding that males and females are more similar than different because individuals exhibit a wide range of traits and behaviors, which is better supported by scientific data than the Gender Differences Hypothesis.

Gender Polarization

The assumption and cultural emphasis that the genders are very different, extreme opposites, with very little overlap.

Gender Displays

Conventionalized portrayals of gender based on narrow stereotypes of femininity and masculinity promoted in mass media and advertising, as conceptualized by sociologist Erving Goffman.

Pointlessly Gendered Products

Consumer products manufactured and marketed with separate masculine and feminine versions despite having identical or non-gendered primary functions.

Effeminacy

The presence of traits in a boy or man that are more often associated with femininity in a particular society.

Sex Spectrum vs. Binary

The understanding in biology that sex consists of a wide spectrum or array of biological possibilities rather than a strict dual binary system.

Female vs. Woman Categories (Harari)

Yuval Harari's distinction showing 'female' as an unchanging biological category (e.g., XX chromosomes, womb, ovaries) and 'woman' as a culturally variable category whose social position and rights change across time and cultures.