Gender Differences in Coping with Stress

Question 1

What did Taylor et al propose?

Answer 1

The tend and befriend response to stress suggesting that this would have evolved as a typical response in females

Question 2

Why is the tend and befriend repondenmore adaptive for females?

Answer 2

The differential parental investment, females invest more in each single reproduction than males, evolved to maximise the survival of their offspring

Question 3

What does oxytocin do?

Answer 3

Promotes feelings of bonding and general social ness

Question 4

What is the difference between male and females oxytocin levels?

Answer 4

Males testosterone levels rise which dampen the effect on oxytocin and therefore males become more aggressive, females seek closeness to others, tend and befriend would be strongest when women are breastfeeding

Question 5

What are the two different coping styles?

Answer 5

1) Problem-Focused Coping
2) Emotion-Focused Coping

Question 6

What is Problem-Focused Coping?

Answer 6

A way to cope with stress by tacking the factors causing the stress, often in a practical way (pros and cons)

Question 7

What is Emotion-Focused Coping?

Answer 7

A way to cope with stress by tacking the symptoms of stress, for example the anxiety that accompanies the stress (defence mechanisms, wishful thinking)

Question 8

What did Peterson et al look at?

Answer 8

Over 1000 men and women seeking fertility treatment, completed several questionnaires including the Ways of Coping Questionnaire

Question 9

What gender differences did Peterson et al find?

Answer 9

Women used emotion-focused coping, they were more likely to seek social support and avoidance. Men engaged in problems solving and distanced themselves from the problem. There was some emotion focused coping in men indicating that gender difference are not clear cut

Question 10

What did Tamres et al do?

Answer 10

Conducted a meta analysis of 26 studies to find that females use a wider selection coping strategies and are more likely to seek social support, likely to engage in negative emotion focused strategies, perceive stressors more severe than males

Question 11

What are 3 evaluation points?

Answer 11

• Alpha bias, reinforces gender stereotypes
• Self report scale, demand characteristics and social desirability
• Reductionist, coping reduced to gender