Introduction 27
Discussion Questions
- What is the distinction betweensex
andgender? How do you think this
distinction should be employed in
practice? - Describe a personal experience of
intrarole or interrole conflict with
respect to gender. - What are some of the advantages
and disadvantages of the way
that gender is portrayed in other
cultures?
4. How can we determine whether
men have higher status than women
in a given culture?
5. Do you think we should be
comparing women and men? Why
or why not?
6. Why hasn’t any one men’s move-
ment gained the strength of the
women’s movement?
7. How can the use of sexist language
be harmful?
Suggested Reading
Eagly, A. (1995). The science and politics of
comparing women and men.American
Psychologist, 50, 145–158.
Hyde, J. S. (2005). The gender similarities
hypothesis.American Psychologist, 60,
581–592.
Marecek, J., Crawford, M., & Popp, D.
(2004). On the construction of gender,
sex, and sexualities. In A. Eagly, A. E.
Beall, & R. J. Sternberg (Eds.),The psy-
chology of gender (2nd ed.), pp. 192–216.
New York: Guilford Press.
Key Terms
Androgynous—Term describing one who
incorporates both masculine and feminine
qualities.
Bisexuals—Individuals who accept other-
sex and same-sex individuals as sexual
partners.
Constructionists—People with the
perspective that gender cannot be divorced
from its context.
Cross-sex-typed—Condition of possessing
the biological traits of one sex but exhibiting
the psychological traits that correspond
with the other sex.
Feminine—Description of trait, behavior, or
interest assigned to the female gender role.
Feminism—Belief that men and women
should be treated equally.
Gender—Term used to refer to the social
categories of male and female.
Gender culture—Each society’s or culture’s
conceptualization of gender roles.
Gender identity/gender-role
identity—One’s perception of oneself as
psychologically male or female.
Gender role—Expectations that go along
with being male or female.
Gender-role attitude—One’s personal view
about how men and women should behave.
Heterosexuals—Individuals who prefer
other-sex sexual partners.
M01_HELG0185_04_SE_C01.indd 27 6/21/11 12:18 PM