Gender Differences

Chapter 11 discusses several areas where females and males differ, including in cognitive, mathematical, and spatial abilities, among others.  Should you choose to complete this assignment for credit, please do the following:

• Either choose an area outlined in the book which discusses gender differences OR
• Find an article that presents some sort of research in this area.  You can use Huffington Post, BBC, etc.
• Discuss the gender differences outlined in either the textbook or the article you chose.  Remember to use your own words whenever possible, and use quotations when directly using others' words.
• In your experience, do you find these differences to be accurate?  Why or why not.  It would be helpful to provide examples.  

Gender-Role Stereotypes in Advertisements

We have all seen advertisements, either in magazines or on television, that depict gender stereotypes.  Should you choose to complete this assignment, please do the following:

• Find two print ads (e.g., from magazines) or tv advertisements via YouTube.
• Describe the ads and the associated gender stereotypes.
• According to Goffman (1976), there are several ways in which stereotyping in advertisement can occur:
• Function ranking (tendency to depict men in executive roles and as more functional when collaborating with women)
• Relative size (tendency to depict men as taller and larger than women, except when women are clearly superior in social status)
• Ritualization of subordination (an overabundance of images of women lying on floors and beds or as objects of men's mock assault)
• The feminine touch (tendency to show women cradling and caressing the surface of objects with their fingers)
• Family (fathers depicted as physically distant from their families or as relating primarily to sons, and mothers depicted as relating primarily to daughters)
• Which of the above description(s) fit your ads?  Please provide an explanation, don't just say something like "this ad is an example of the feminine touch."

Toy Preference: Socialization or Hormones?

Why do boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls?  If you choose to complete this assignment for course credit, please do the following:

• Explain how socialization plays a role in toy preference in children.
• Read this article about the hormonal influences of toy preference.
• Summarize the article.
• Based on what you know about the socialization of toy preference and what was presented in the article, what are your opinions about why boys tend to play with trucks and girls with dolls?

Gender Dysphoria

Chapter 11's main focus is on gender.  For most, understanding their gender isn't an issue.  However, others struggle with gender identity.  In others, this struggle is distressful enough to be considered a psychiatric illness.  Should you choose to complete this assignment, please do the following:

• Read this article about Gender Dysphoria.
• What is Gender Dysphoria?
• The article discusses the change in not only name, but the focus of this disorder with the new edition of the DSM.  What was Gender Dysphoria formerly known as, and what changed between the old and new edition of the DSM?
• Do you agree with the change?  I realize this is a limited amount of information when considering a psychiatric diagnosis, but base your answer on the information given to you in the article, or feel free to do a little more exploration yourself!
• Do you think this change will affect the amount of stigma associated with this disorder?