week 8

Question 1

cognitive ability sex differences

Answer 1

• inconsistent research findings
• historical attempts to prove women as inferior
• IQ test used to support the assumed superiority of male intelligence, terman found no sex difference in IQ scores

Question 2

gender stereotypes of intellectual abilities (bian et al 2017)

Answer 2

• less likely than boys to believe that members of their gender are really smart
• begin to avoid activities said to be for “smart children”

Question 3

eugenics, reproductive justice, cognitive abilities

Answer 3

• eugenics, promoting breeding among genetically superior
• immigrants, people of color, poor, disabled = unintelligent
• henry goddard misuse IQ tests identify mentally deficient individuals, advocate for forced sterilization

Question 4

male variability hypothesis

Answer 4

• men show greater variability in cognitive performance
• over represented at very high and very low levels
• contradictory = girls top SAT verbal
• inconsistent findings

Question 5

individual and contextual influence on cognitive performance

Answer 5

• disparities in resource access, education
• girls math anxiety, lower self confidence, stereotype threat, feedback sensitivity
• cultural values
• home environment, maternal education level, school effectiveness, teacher gender stereotypes

Question 6

women underrepresentation in STEM

Answer 6

• overt or subtle discrimination in STEM courses
• STEM careers less appealing to women, communal job preference

Question 7

gendered language

Answer 7

• women use more ? and emotionally intense adjectives
• men expressing independence, first person singular
• reinforces traditional gender stereotypes
• diminutive

Question 8

gendered masculine

Answer 8

• male gendered terms to refer to mixed sex/ sex unspecified groups (mankind, freshmen etc)

Question 9

whorfian hypothesis/ linguistic relativity hypothesis

Answer 9

• person who uses one set of words/ one language may actually see the world differently than a person who uses a different set of words or speaks a different language

Question 10

grammatical gender

Answer 10

• nations with gendered language have lower levels of gender equality
• some research suggests gendered language can increase sexist beliefs

Question 11

gender fair language

Answer 11

• reduce discrimination and gender stereotyping
• language neutralization
• language feminization
• self awareness and objectivity, reflecting on bias, using inclusive language

Question 12

different cultures approach

Answer 12

• boys and girls socialized to use language very differently, might as well come from different “cultures”, miscommunication
• girls = affective style, feelings, opinions, thoughts
• boys = instrumental style, goal/task orientated

Question 13

nonverbal communication

Answer 13

• women smile more, mutual eye contact vs dominant
• men larger personal space zones
• men more expansive body posture