Review Sheet for Exam One

Sociology 327, Spring 2007

Chapter 1: Gender as Social Construction

• What is a sociological analysis of gender?
• Terms: Sex vs. gender, social structure
• Three ways in which gender has largely been understood
• Three major conclusions from a sociology of gender

Chapter 2: Biological Explanations

• major three ways of understanding gender differences as biological differences – how do they explain gender difference
• relationship between testosterone and aggression
• terms: sexually dimorphic, biological reductionism, biological determinism
• criticisms of biological explanations for gender difference

Chapter 3: Cross-Cultural Research on Gender

• Gender difference and gender inequality cross-culturally
• Who are the berdache and why are they relevant?
• Three major determinants of women’s status in a given society (and which is most important)
• Mead’s conclusion about source of gender difference

Chapter 4: Psychological Perspectives

• Four major psychological perspectives on gender difference – how do they explain gender difference – consequences for cognition and interaction with others
• Strengths/Weaknesses of psychological explanations for gender difference

Chapter 5: Sociological Perspectives

• Criticisms of psychological perspectives on gender, including criticisms of sex-role theory
• Gender as an institution – what does it mean to say an institution is “gendered?” – strengths/weaknesses
• “Doing Gender” – gender as interaction – accountability – (be sure to be familiar with how the Lucal article applies to this theory)
• Hegemonic masculinity – non-hegemonic masculinity -- heterosocial/homosocial

Essay Questions

1) What does Lorber mean by “believing is seeing?” Which psychological theory of gender best explains how it is that what we believe becomes what we see? (In your answer, be sure and briefly explain the psychological theory and how it relates to this quote.)

2) Compare and contrast two psychological theories of gender. Which argument do you find more compelling and why?

3) What does it mean to “do gender?” How is it that you, personally, do gender? What does this particular approach to gender highlight about gender difference?

4) Present the basic idea behind Gender-Role Theory. What does it contribute to our understanding of gender difference? What are its weaknesses?

5) Eagly and Barnett and Rivers present two very different views on the study of gender difference. Outline their basic views. Where do you fall in this debate about the study of gender difference? Should researchers in various disciplines continue to study gender difference? Why or why not? What would be gained? What might be the potential dangers?

6) Cross and colleagues discuss how men and women have different self-construals. What does this mean and how do the self-construals of men and women differ? What are the consequences of these self-construals for cognition, interaction, and communication in relationships? (In your answer, be sure to provide an example for each of these three areas.)