Synopses & Reviews
This is a comprehensive introduction to sex and gender theories, research, and issues, focusing on social psychological and feminist perspectives. The book examines the similarities and differences between women and men, discusses where that knowledge comes from, and explains how that knowledge may itself be shaped and limited by cultural perceptions. This new edition has been thoroughly revised with up-to-date research citations for all chapters and more current examples.
Table of Contents
PART I: Myths, Theories, and Research Chapter 1 Masculinity and Femininity: Myths and Stereotypes Sex Stereotypes Sex or Gender: More Than a Question of Terminology? “Sugar and Spice” or “Snips and Snails”: The Content of Gender Stereotypes Beyond Personality Traits: The Many Faces of Gender Stereotypes Different and Unequal? The Evaluative Aspects of Gender Stereotypes Gender and Other Stereotypes: Race/Ethnicity, Class, Age, Appearance, Sexual Orientation, Disability The Process of Stereotyping How Gender Stereotypes and Prejudice Affect Us Gender Stereotypes and the Research Process Summary Key Terms Chapter 2 Theoretical Perspectives on Sex and Gender Early Theories About Sex and Gender Psychoanalytic/Identification Theories Social Structure/Cultural Theories of Gender Evolutionary Theories of Gender Biosocial Model Social Learning Theory/Social Cognitive Theory Cognitive Theories Social Interaction Process Theories Perspectives on Difference Summary Key Terms Chapter 3 Researching Sex and Gender: Exploring the Whys and Hows Asking Questions About Gender: Science and the Search for Truth What Differences and Similarities Exist: Methods for Comparing the Sexes Why Gender Differences Exist: Nature, Nurture, and the Interactionist Position Biases and Pitfalls: Problems Encountered in the Study of Sex and Gender Science and Androcentrism A Transformational Psychology of Gender? Summary Key Terms PART II: Behavior and Experience: FemaleMale Similiarities and Differences Chapter 4 Worlds Apart? Gender Differences in Social Behavior and Experience Now You See It, Now You Dont: Gender Differences in Context Gender Differences in Social Behavior: A Sampling of Current Findings What Happened to the Differences? Summary Key Terms Chapter 5 Biology and Environment: The Process of Becoming Female or Male The Biological Process of Sexual Differentiation Do Physical Sex Differences Have Implications for Behavior? Gender-Roles: Variations in Normal Development Gender Identity Sexual Orientation Summary Key Terms Chapter 6 Perceptual and Cognitive Abilities: Gender Similarities and Differences The Greater Male Variability Hypothesis Gender Differences in Intellectual Performance Explaining the Differences Summary Key Terms Chapter 7 Sexual Lives and Orientations The Double Standard The Physiology of Sexual Response Sexual Activity Explaining Gender Differences in Sexuality Sexual Orientation Sexuality and Power: Erotica, Pornography, and Coercive Sexuality Summary Key Terms Chapter 8 Hormonal and Reproductive Connections The Menstrual Cycle Hormones and the Male Experience Pregnancy and Childbirth Menopause Summary Key Terms Chapter 9 Mental and Physical Health: Stress, Change, and Adaptations Vulnerability and Strength Gender and Physical Health Women, Men, and Mental Illness Gender and Mental Health Summary Key Terms PART III: Sex and Gender in Social Relationships Chapter 10 Sex and Gender and Childhood: Constructing Gender “Getting the Word”: Sources of Early Gender Learning Constructing an Identity: The Relational and Individual Self Friendship Achievement Summary Key Terms Chapter 11 Family and Friends: Attachment, Intimacy, and Power Close Relationships in Adulthood Marriage: The Intimate Economic Partnership Women and Men as Parents Summary Key Terms Chapter 12 Economic and Political Life: Power, Status, and Achievement Where We Are Now: A Shortage of Women at the Top Motivation: The Driving Force? Defining Achievement and Power Access to Resources Resources, Strategies, and Political Power Power in Organizations and Institutions Maintaining the Status Quo: How Hierarchies Perpetuate Themselves Summary Key Terms Chapter 13 Issues in the Workplace Division of Labor by Sex Sex Discrimination Two Spheres in Contact: The Interaction of Family and Employment Issues Work, Sexuality, and Power Summary Key Terms Chapter 14 Justice, Equity, and Social Change Gender and Conceptions of Justice Gender and the Law Social Change: Justice for All? Summary Key Terms Epilogue The Ties That Bind: The Future of Sex and Gender Glossary References Author Index I–1 Subject Index I–15 Credits C–1