PSYC 1903: Psychology of Gender

Fall 2004

Required Texts

1) Helgeson, V.S. (2005). Psychology of Gender (2^nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

2) Kimmel, M.S. & Messner, M.A. (2004). Men’s Lives (6^th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

3) Chrisler, J.C., Golden, C. & Rozee, P.D. (2004). Lectures on the Psychology of Women (3^rd Ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

Course Goals & Objectives

The study of gender has generated controversy since the earliest days of psychology.  Historically, psychologists' work focused on discovering differences between women and men, differences that were taken as evidence of men's superiority and women's inferiority and used to deny women access to privilege and power.  In the past 35 years the feminist movement has shifted the focus to the lived experiences of women, to the social construction of gender, to the gendered nature of social institutions, and to the way that gender intersects with race/ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, and other categories of difference.

     This course is designed to introduce students to psychological theories and research regarding the differences and similarities between men and women and the effects of gender in social situations.  This course should assist students in recognizing the influence of gender on human experiences and relationships, and the impact that assumptions about gender have in the real world.   

After completing this course, students will be able to:

y       Summarize, critique, and apply psychological theories that attempt to explain gender differences

y       Summarize and critique psychological research on gender-related topics

y       Identify how gender influences social interactions in everyday life

y       Articulate some cultural and historical differences regarding accepted gender roles

y       Synthesize material to make logical arguments in support of a thesis

y       Understand the changing roles of men and women and the impact this creates in a complex society.

Attendance Policy

Attendance is not required (although I do take roll). I employ this policy not because I don't care if you attend class—I much prefer that you do attend—but because I believe that you can learn to manage your time only by making decisions and experiencing the consequences of those decisions. I do give the benefit of the doubt to those with regular attendance records in the case of borderline grades. If you come to class after I have taken roll, it's your responsibility to be sure that I haven't marked you absent. Finally, if you miss a class, you're still responsible for knowing what happened during that class.

Course Requirements

Please Note: This course will not be easy. If you are looking for an easy course, then this is not for you. This course has a serious amount of reading (i.e., each week close to 100 pages of reading must be completed). Please do not take this course if you cannot manage this amount of reading.

The course requirements include attending class, weekly readings and writing assignments, participating in small-group and/or class discussion and completing out-of-class projects.

1) Reading Journal

Purpose

    Because this seminar-style class depends so heavily on student discussion, careful and critical reading of the assigned readings is very important.  Writing down your reactions to the readings is an invaluable way to become a more critical reader, thinker, and discussion participant.  As an added benefit, having critical comments on each of the readings will be helpful as you work on your class projects. 
 

Format 

   You should have a journal entry for each assigned reading.  Each entry should be typed (12-point Times New Roman), double-spaced, and about 300-500 words in length (some may be longer).  Journals are not simply summaries of the readings, but consist of your reactions to the readings, reflecting your critical and active thinking.  It is helpful to jot notes in the margins of the article/chapter while you are reading and to use these notes as a basis for writing your journal.   This process of reflective reading and journal writing will get easier as the course goes along.
 
    Some examples of questions you should think about while reading include the following (in no particular order): 

• What are the author's assumptions or hypotheses?
  • E.g.:  What is this author's perspective on how gender differences are caused?

• Does the author provide good evidence for his/her assertions?
  • E.g.:  Is the author's statement "Women are ruled by a patriarchal society" supported by any research evidence?

• How is the information or perspective in this article related to other material you've read?
  • E.g.:  This author's perspective on the influence of parents is contradicted by the study we read by Johnson et al. (1988).

• If reading more than one article, do the articles contradict or support one another or do they address different aspects of a similar topic  

• What questions do you have about the information or perspective in this article?  Try to answer some of your own questions -- it will help you to think more about the issues, even if you decide later that your attempts at answers were wrong
  • E.g.:   What does the author mean by "androgyny"?  She seems to mean a combination of the best male and female characteristics in some places, but in other places (see p. 244) she implies that it's mostly the best male characteristics.

• What research ideas come to mind while reading this article?
  • E.g.:  I wonder whether anyone has tested how male-generic words (e.g., men of good faith) are perceived by people who have English as a second language.

• How does the information in this article challenge or support your own beliefs?
  • E.g.:  I felt angry when I read about the group that thinks men are useless beyond their reproductive contribution -- clearly, God created both men and women as good and in his image, so we cannot just rule them out as useless creatures.

Evaluation 

      There will be 5 journal evaluations (see course schedule for due dates) over the course of the semester.  Because your journals will serve as the basis for class discussions, your journals should be up-to-date at the beginning of class.  I will collect them at the end of the class period.
 
    The first 4 journal evaluations will be graded on a 25-point scale, while the final evaluation (due December 3^rd) will be worth 100 points.  For the first 4 journal evaluations, a score of 25 indicates a critical analysis of the assigned articles, with good observations and insights, thoughtful questions, and connections with other readings or class discussions; a score of 5 indicates that you have merely summarized the reading and offered no critical insights.  Scores of 10, 15 and 20 reflect increasing amounts of critical insight.
 
    Note that the journals do not have to be written formally -- using first person is fine.  Having said that, recognize that while a few grammar problems/errors will not decrease your grade, more extensive problems will be reflected in a lowered score.

Sample Journal Entry

(your journals will be double-spaced)

    Crawford & Maracek (1989). Psychology reconstructs the female. Psychology of Women Quarterly.
 
  The Women as Problem framework that the authors discuss has the implicit assumption that men have "won" something and women have "lost," and now women are trying to make up for perceived lacks and deficits.  The very language used in this framework implies that traditionally male standards are correct and that women must measure up to that level in order to be whole.  The cultural emphasis on autonomy also stems from typically male behaviors -- women prefer more of a relationship-orientation (as we read in Tannen and in Gilligan's work).  Women traditionally have had more nurturing, communal, non-competitive roles (family, church, schoolteacher) that are still perceived as less important or valuable than the "real world" roles in business.   And why is the "real world" defined that way, anyway? Why is staying at home or being a student not the "real world"?
 
    The authors make an interesting comment about women's equality being "the source of the decay of the social order and male impotence" (page 154).  While it made me feel defensive when I first read it, I think that the statement may be partly true -- women's demand for equality probably has destabilized the traditionally male-dominant hierarchy.  But where's the evidence for causing "male impotence"??
 
    Objectivity is usually defined (as it is here) as "value-free."  We discussed a different definition in class last week: two different people using the same measures will find the same results (although the measure itself might be faulty).  What are the implications of these two different definitions?  The first one is much more philosophical than the other; the second one seems much clearer.  I wonder whether people or their observations can even be "value-free."  As a Christian I believe that God's law is imparted to use through the Bible; therefore, values are part of our very being.  We probably cannot be completely "objective" as the first definition would imply, but maybe we can set aside our biases so that the second definition is more realistic.

2) Small Group Activities

There are two primary reasons for assigning work in small groups.  First, group work will allow you to build relationships and practice working with others in your chosen discipline.  In the field of Psychology the ability to work with other professionals (even those that you may disagree with and, in fact, completely dislike) is invaluable.  Second, working with others is a good way to assess one’s own level of mastery or understanding of course material.  In short, the teaching and learning that can occur in a small group setting is invaluable to the development of a deep and meaningful knowledge base which is one of the goals of this class.  

You will be assigned to a small group (no more than 3 or 4 people per group) twice during the semester. I will assign you to your first group on September 8^th and then to your second group on October 25^th.  In each group you and your group mates will be responsible for completing two projects (i.e., everyone will take part in and complete four total projects). 

The first three research projects will be evaluated on 20-point scales.  Higher numbers reflect greater thoroughness of descriptions, depth of analysis, ability to discern patterns, and, if applicable, the ability to clearly connect your observations with material in the assigned readings.  Research projects should be written more formally than the journal assignments; although a few grammar problems/errors will not decrease your score, more extensive problems will.

You and your group mates will select each project from the following list:             

Project #1: Commercial Gender Stereotypes

• Choose two of the following to evaluate:

¨       10 TV ads

¨       the pictures and article titles on the covers of 5 women's and 5 men's magazines

¨       the packaging (i.e., pictures, colors & words) on 5 girl's and 5 boy's toy packages (e.g., at Walmart)

• Write a 2 – 3 page report in which you describe the gender-linked patterns you found, your reactions to your findings.  

Project #2: Perspectives on the Web

• Critically assess two web sites (i.e., one web site that focuses on women's issues and one on men's issues).  Your group may find your own sites or choose one from the list below:

¨       Index of sites regarding women: http://www.feminist.org/

¨       Index of sites regarding men:  http://web.indstate.edu/spsmm/links.html

¨       General gender-related site index: http://www.cc.colorado.edu/LIBRARY/Course/Science/Gender.html

¨       Explicitly faith-based sites:

• Women of Faith (http://www.wof.org/main.html)
• Promisekeepers (http://www.promisekeepers.org/)
• Write a 2-page report summarizing the assumptions and implicit (or explicit) goal of each web site (be sure to include the URL for each site).  

Project #3: Gender Research on the Web

As a group…

• Go to the Implicit Associations Test site: http://depts.washington.edu/iat/

¨       read the introductory material, then click on Measure Your Implicit Attitudes

¨       read the preliminary information, then click on I wish to Proceed

¨       read the next set of information, then click on I wish to Continue (if you indeed do)

¨       choose either of the Gender IATs

¨       fill out the demographic information requested (if you choose) and click Proceed

¨       read the Instructions, then click I am ready to begin

¨       complete the 5-minute test and read your results

• Write a 1-2 page paper that describes your findings

Project #4: Dating & Mating

• Interview your fellow group members regarding the "rules," etiquette, gender roles, and the language used for dating/courtship and the decision to marry.  Here are some sample questions/topics:

¨       e.g., how does intimacy develop within a relationship? How does this change as the relationship progresses?

¨       e.g., is a committed (but not engaged) couple considered to be "dating," "going steady," "having a relationship," ...??

¨       e.g., how is the marriage decision made (does the man ask the woman? does he ask her father? do the two families consult with each other?)

¨       e.g., what kinds of interactions are allowed between the man and woman?  Must they be supervised?  At what point may they have private time together?

• Write a 3 - 4 page report summarizing your findings.  Focus on analyzing, as a group, whether or not similarities or differences were present and try to explain the source of those differences. Remember that some information may be of a private nature and therefore be tactful in your reporting.  Also remember that you do not have to contribute any information that makes you uncomfortable.  

Project #5: Development and Maintenance of Gender Stereotypes

• Choose two of the following to evaluate:

¨       A content analysis of personal ads (what men and women say they want in a potential mate or date, what they say they have to offer, etc.)

¨       A content analysis of men's and women's magazine articles/advertisements to examine differences in the "fantasies" and themes that they cater to. For example, you might count the number of males/females pictured in advertisements (or, in the entire magazine), their ages, who appears the focus of attention, etc. You might count the number of beauty products advertised in women's magazines, count the number of products designed to increase earning capacity or prestige in men’s magazines, etc.

¨       An analysis of robust sex differences in television programs/advertisements, etc.

• Write a 2-page report in which you describe the gender-linked patterns you found, your reactions to your findings.

Project #6: Beyond Midlife Interview  

Interview an older woman or man, at least over 60 and preferably older.  This could be a relative, family friend or neighbor.  A grandparent is usually perfect for this assignment.  Ask them about their experiences as young people.  For example, were there any expectations placed on them due to their gender? In their opinion, how are things different for women or men growing up today compared with when they grew up?  How did they experience dating and friendships?  How have gender roles or expectations changed over the course of their life?  How have they changed over the years? Did you have any assumptions about aging that were confirmed or dispelled because of this interview?  Be thorough and honest when analyzing assumptions about gender and aging with this person’s experiences.  Note: You and your group should record, in writing or tape recording, the interview so that you can, a) refer back to it later and, b) use direct quotes in your report.  

·         Write a 3-4 page report describing your group’s findings.   

3) Final Project & Poster Presentation

The final project will be an individual or small-team activity that will be presented in the form of a prototype for a written brochure or letter or other educational outreach material. The projects will be graded on the same criteria whether produced by one, two, three, or four people (thus it would really seem a good idea to work in teams!).  Your assignment is to apply research and theory from the psychology of gender to the task of educating one or more people who have influence. For instance, you might write a letter that could be sent to the school board of your town arguing for or against co-educational math classes. Or you might create a poster to hang in middle schools intended to discourage hate crimes based on sexual orientation discrimination, or you might design a brochure for state legislators about parental leave and child care policy.

Your educational outreach project will be graded largely on the degree to which you apply research and theory from psychology of gender. You must have at least 5 (five) references from the psychology of gender literature. These references may include articles from the text book or books from the psychology of gender literature (not popular press, but actual scholarly or research literature).  You are likely to want to gather additional information at the library. Your outreach project must demonstrate your comprehension of these references and your ability to apply the scholarly and research information to your educational outreach project.

The final project will be worth 150 points.  Before beginning you should have a clear idea about your educational outreach objective(s) (what are you trying to teach), your audience (who are you trying to educate), your product (letter, poster, brochure). Your group should make an appointment with me first to discuss your proposed project. I must approve the project before you begin work.

December 6^th will be reserved for the Educational Outreach Project Convention day in which you present your product -- presentations will consist of displaying your product in the classroom and answering questions as people view your product. In psychology and other sciences, results from studies are often presented at conferences using the poster format. People walk around a large room reading posters and talking to the authors about their posters. So, on the last day of class (December 6^th), we will have a poster mini-conference.

Participation

Class participation will be based solely on attendance.  Everyone will begin the semester with 20 points and each absence will result in a 2-point deduction. You are allowed to miss two class periods without penalty. It is your responsibility to contact me in advance when you are unable to attend (I recognize that emergencies do occur).

Rules for class discussion

This course provides a forum for discussing controversial or “touchy” issues regarding gender.  You will likely find some of your preconceptions and perspectives challenged; the conversation may get heated or uncomfortable.  Please be as honest as possible with yourself when considering your own opinions – don’t just hide behind others' opinions -- and recognize that learning and growth often require discomfort.  The class will be most successful if every student takes responsibility for contributing to the discussions.

    This class should be a safe place for learning, thinking, and openly discussing hard yet, hopefully, interesting topics.  Keep in mind that we are kicking around ideas – not people.  To ensure that we have an open discussion where we can hear all opinions, we will abide by the following rules:

1.      You are never under any pressure or obligation to share personal experiences on any topic if you do not want to.  

2.      You should not share the personal experiences revealed by other members of this class to anyone outside of class.

3.      Listen carefully to each other. 

4.      Every person will be treated with respect (i.e., there will be no personal attacks or comments).  For example, saying “I don’t understand how those ideas relate” is better than “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!”  Ask clarifying questions rather than making judgments about people.

5.      No interruptions.  To respond to someone speaking, raise your hand and the discussion leader will note that you will speak next.  When many hands are raised, the leader will choose those who have not yet spoken to continue the discussion.

6.      Cell phones and beepers must be turned off during class time.

Note: If you think that you will not be able to abide by any of these rules, leave the discussion immediately.  We must maintain an atmosphere for open discussion in order for the class to be successful.