ASU PSY385: Psychology of Gender – Essay Questions
ASU PSY385: Psychology of Gender – Essay Questions
Choose four (4) of the following questions and write a 3/4 to 1 page response (single spaced) to the questions chosen. It doesn’t matter which you choose. The text we used in class is The Psychology of Gender, 2nd edition, however any CREDIBLE outside sources can be used. There is no minimum or maximum amount of references required. Just please make in-text citations and list the references at the end. please!
1. Explain how the hormone Oxytocin relates to gender differences in both stress and coping responses.
2. Many studies of hormones and behavior use “abnormal” populations. Explain why this is both good and bad, from a scientific point of view.
3. Melissa Hines discussed the disorder congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Briefly explain this disorder and its consequences for gender-related behavior. Do you think these consequences reflect biology, socialization, or both? Defend your answer based on the course material.
4. We encountered evolutionary psychology in our discussions of both love/sex and murder. Explain the evolutionary psychology perspective on each of these. What is the common thread between these topics, from this perspective?
5. Why do women have lower scores than men on standardized math tests? Answer this question for someone who has never taken a psychology class, including a discussion of biological, social, and interaction perspectives.
6. You are at a family reunion, and you let it slip that you are taking a Psychology of Gender class. Your obnoxious Aunt Julie overhears you and says: “Psychology? Bah! Everyone knows that men and women behave differently because they are biologically different! End of story!” Explain how you could prove Aunt Julie wrong using what you’ve learned so far in this course.
7. Aunt Julie is at it again, arguing that women make naturally better caregivers than men. As a result, she claims that men should be fired from jobs in fields like teaching and nursing. This causes Uncle Mark, a hospice nurse, to call Julie all manner of nasty names and storm out of the room. Analyze this interaction (and why it was destined to be difficult), using everything you’ve learned in this class. (Hint: Your answer should focus in particular on why it was hard for Mark and Julie to debate the issue.)
8. Chapter 9 of The Psychology of Gender gives an overview of the “social constructionist” perspective on gender. What makes this perspective unique? What does this perspective add to the discussion about sex and gender?
