Gender and sexuality Flashcards
Gender binary
The classification of people into one of two categories, male or female
Gender role
Set of norms, or culturally defined expectations, that define how people pf one gender ought to behave
Stereotype
A generalization about a group of people that distinguishes them from others
Intersectionality
An approach that simultaneously considers the consequences of multiple group memberships
- considers the effects of gender, race, social class, and sexual orientation simultaneously
- some groups experience multiple disadvantages
- some may be part of a disadvantaged group but also part of a priviliged group
(gender-role) socialization
How society conveys to the individuals its norms or expectations for his or her behavior
- occurs especially in childhood, but also adulthood
- sources: paretns, peers, and the media
Psychological differences in sexuality
Men and women are in many ways quite similar in their sexuality
- men are more likely to have masturbated
- men are more approving of casual sex
- men are considerably more likely to report using porn
- men and women are similar in their response to erotic materials, but women are sometimes inaware of their own arousal
Gender differences in sexuality in sex
Men more consistently have orgasms during sex
- orgasm gap still appears, but narrows, with masturbation
- lesbian women vs hetero women
Men tend to have stronger sex drive than women
- men think about sex more often and have more frequent and varied fantasies
- men desire more sexual partners and a greater frequency of intercourse
–> men score higher on risk-taking and sensation seeking
Bogus Pipeline study
Do people report what is expected of them, shaped by gender norms? –> are the differences bogus?
- Alexander and Fisher, 2003:
- 3 experimental conditions (random assignment):
- bogus pipeline condition: fake polygraph, however, respondents were told the machine could detect lies
- anonymous condition: after completing the test, the questionnaire was placed in a locked box
- exposure threat condition: the completed test was handed over to the experimenter, who sate in full view while the respondents completed the test
Results of bogus pipeline study
The bogus pipeline method investigated the possibility that differences documented by self-report are not true
- found that these differences can be exaggerations
- men may exaggerate their desire
- women may minimize theirs
–> psychological measures are not vulnerable to these same biases
Anatomy for gender differences in sexuality
The female genitals do not gave an abvious arousal response like the male’s erection
- women may be less aware of her arousal
- women may as a result be less likely to masturbate and less likely to develop their full sexual potential
Hormones for gender differences in sexuality
Women have less teststerone than men, which may result in lower levels of sexual behavior
- the effects of testosterone on human sexual interest and behavior are less consistent and more complex than in other species
–> we need to be reluctant to draw any conclusion
Double standard in sexuality
The same sexual behavior is evaluated differently depending on gender
- gives men more sexual freedom
Gender roles dictate proper behavior for men and women
- stereotypes of men as initiator and women as passive ibject may not encourage women to take active steps to bring about her own orgasm
Sexuality beyond the young adult
Male and female sexuality changes over the lifespan
- adolescent male sexuality is body centered and the person centered aspect is not added until later
- adolescent female sexuality is person centered and body centered sex comes later
Transgender
A broad term, encompassing persons whose gender identity does not match their gender assigned at birth
Transsexual person
A person who believes he or she was born with the body of the other gender
- term typically reserved for those who undergo medical treatments such as sergery or hormone therapy
