Gender Differences Flashcards
What are the biological differences between men and women and how this relates to stress?
Males and females differ in their biological make up and this could mean that they respond differently to stressful situations.
For example, a male who feels threatened may react aggressively or may actually run away (fight or flight response) as they produce higher levels of noradrenaline and cortisol in response to stress. Women, on the other hand, produce higher levels of the hormone oxytocin which makes them prone to caring and nurturing behaviour. When threatened they may be more likely to try to use reasoning to avoid stress, or seek out friends to help them cope.
What are the social differences between men and women and how might this link to stress?
Men and women differ in their social relationships, which could explain why their response to stress is different. Males generally have many friends, but don’t use them for social support, while females often have a small group of close friends whom they rely on for social support in times of need. Females may be more open to discussing their stresses than males, so their response to stress may be more social than males. Males and females may also use different strategies to deal with the source of stress.
What are the different strategies men and women use to deal with the source of stress?
Women may use emotion focused coping strategies such as going shopping with friends when stressed
Men often use problem focused coping strategies such as discussing issues at work with their boss.
Who is the key study within gender differences?
Matud (2004)
What was Matud’s aim of the study?
To investigate gender differences in stress and coping strategies.
What was Matud’s procedure?
In total, 2816 participants completed questionnaires assessing their levels of stress, including life events and daily hassles, as well as common coping strategies. The results of the male and female participants were compared.
What were the results of Matud’s research?
There were no differences in numbers of life events experienced by males and females, but females scored more highly on daily hassles and chronic stress. Females reported more physical and psychological symptoms. Women also used more emotion focused coping strategies than men.
What was Matud’s conclusion?
There are gender differences in the amount of stress and how this is dealt with.
finish the evaluation: Supporting evidence
Taylor et al presented a paper that suggested that the fight or flight response is a typical male response to acute stress, while the same response in females is better described as tend or befriend response. They argued that experiencing a stressor triggers the release of oxytocin in females - a hormone associated with the attachment relationship and nurturing behaviour. The paper describes how female biology may have meant that, in the evolutionary past, females would be unable to ‘run or fight’ when under stress because of having offspring with them. As a result, the tendency for females is to protect during times of stress, or make friends in order to reduce the stress felt in the situation. Therefore this supports the idea that gender differences occur in the amount of stress and how this is dealt with.
finish the evaluation: understanding that gender differences may exist in the type and amount of stress experienced, and how this is dealt with, could have useful implications.
For example, businesses could be made aware of possible gender differences that exist to better support employees. Thus this research is useful as it has real world applications and thus has ecological validity.
finish the evaluation: by reporting gender differences in coping with stress…
Psychologists could be creating a self fulfilling prophecy where men and women begin to act in line with expectation and the gender differences become more exaggerated.
