Ch. 12 Definitions Flashcards
Gender
Characteristics of people as females or males
Gender identity
A sense of one’s own gender, including knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of being male or female
Gender role
A set of expectations that prescribe how females or males should think, act, feel
Gender-typing
Acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role
Estrogens
Class of sex hormones (including estradiol) that primarily influences development of female sex characteristics and helps regulate menstrual cycle
Androgens
Class of sex hormones (including testosterone) that primarily promotes development of male genitals and secondary sex characteristics
Social role theory
Eagly’s theory that psychological gender differences are caused by the contrasting social roles of men and women
Psychoanalytic theory of gender
Stems from Freud’s view: preschool children develop sexual attraction to opposite-sex parent then renounces attraction and identifies with same-sex parent, adopting characteristics
Social cognitive theory of gender
That children’s gender development occurs through observation and imitation of gender behavior (as well as rewards and punishments based on what’s believed to be inappropriate or appropriate for their gender)
Gender schema theory
Gender-typing emerges as children gradually develop gender schemas of what is culturally gender-appropriate/gender-inappropriate
Gender stereotypes
General impressions/beliefs about females and males
Androgyny
Presence of positive masculine and feminine characteristics in the same individual
Transgender
Broad term that refers to individuals adopting gender identity different than the one assigned at birth
Gender-intensification hypothesis
The view that psychological and behavioral differences between boys and girls become greater during early adolescence because of increased socialization pressures to conform to traditional gender roles
Rapport talk
Language of conversation; a way to establish connections and negotiate relationships (preferred by women)
Report talk
Language designed to give information (preferred by men)
Sexual scripts
Stereotyped patterns of expectancies for how people should behave sexually
Traditional religious script
View that sex is acceptable only within marriage; extramarital sex is taboo, esp for women; sex means reproduction and sometimes affection
Romantic script
Perspective in which sex is synonymous with love; belief that if we develop a relationship and fall in love it’s acceptable to have sex with the person regardless of marriage
Bisexuality
Sexual attraction to people of both sexes
Transsexual
Category that describes individuals who choose to live full-time as a member of the desired gender and usually seek to have sex reassignment surgery
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
Diseases that are contracted primarily through sexual contact
Rape
Forcible sexual intercourse, oral sex, or anal sex with a person who does not give consent (legal definitions differ state to state)
Date/acquaintance rape
Coercive sexual activity directed at someone with whom the victim is at least casually acquainted
Sexual harassment
Sexual persecution that can take many forms (sexist remarks, physical contact, blatant propositions, sexual assaults)
Climacteric
Midlife transition in which fertility declines
Menopause
Complete cessation of a women’s menstrual cycles, usually occurring late 40s/early 50s
Perimenopause
Transitional period from normal menstrual periods to no menstrual period at all, often taking up to 10 years
