Gender can be a continuous variable, not just a categorical one: Comment on Hyde et al.

Question 1

kritiek op hyde

Answer 1

Hyde proposes treating gender as a categorical but multi-faceted concept, but Reilly argues for viewing gender as a continuous variable instead. Research has demonstrated that masculinity and femininity are not mutually exclusive and treating gender continuously could lead to more nuanced insights.

Question 2

historical contributions to gender as a continuous concept

Answer 2

researchers have developed scales before to measure masculinity and femininity as independent concepts, revealing that individuals often possess traits associated with both genders.

• bem sex role inventory (BSRI)
• personal attributes questionnaire (PAQ)

Question 3

sex-role identification and gender nonconformity

Answer 3

sex-role identification studies show that individuals vary in how they embody masculine and feminine traits. many people display androgeny (integration of masculine and feminine traits) which is associated with increased cognitive flexibility and psychological health.

Question 4

hoe veel komt gender nonconformiteit voor

Answer 4

12% of individuals in BSRI samples identified more strongly with traits of the opposite gender.

Question 5

mental health implications of treating gender continuously

Answer 5

• prevalence of depression among women as an are where continuous approach to gender may offer valuable insights.
• research shows that sex-role identification can be a strong predictor of mental health: if gender identity diverges from traditional norms, ppl may experience “gender role strain”. this can be solved with considering gender as continuous

Question 6

improving measurement of gender in research and practice

Answer 6

• detailed, multidimensional measures like BSRI or PAQ
• open ended or continuous measures

Question 7

relevance to clinical psychology

Answer 7

• could prevent the pathologization of non-binary or gender-nonconforming individuals
• improve treatments for who do not align with traditional gender roles (encouraging men to seek help for mental health issues without fearing they are unmasculine)