Psych for Women

bias based on chronological age.

The male experience is treated as the norm.

a bias that is based on social class.

any characteristic, other than the central variable being studied, that is not equivalent under all conditions.

consists of the following components: 1. Ask thoughtful questions about what you see or hear. 2. Look for potential biases at each step of t

emphasizes the positive qualities that are presumed to be stronger in women than in men—qualities such as nurturing and caretaking. Cultural

argues that men and women are generally different in their intellectual and social abilities.

According to this concept, you express your gender when you interact with other people; you also perceive gender in these other people, such

ability to experience the same emotion that someone else is feeling.

argues that gender is a basic, unchangeable characteristic that resides within an individual.

the principle that values women’s experiences and ideas; feminism also emphasizes that women and men should be socially, economically, and l

refers to the psychological characteristics and social categories that human culture creates (Golden, 2008).

a characteristic of a person to which other people react.

a characteristic within a person that influences the way she or he acts.

(also called sexual prejudice), refers to a bias against anyone who is not exclusively heterosexual.

emphasizes that each person belongs to multiple social groups, based on categories such as ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and social

emphasizes the goal of gender equality, giving women and men the same rights and opportunities. Liberal feminists argue that people can achi

describes exactly how researchers will measure a variable (or characteristic) in a study.

means that the results have some meaningful and useful implications for the real world.

bias against people on the basis of racial or ethnic groups.

argues that the basic cause of women’s oppression lies deep in the entire sex and gender system, rather than in some superficial laws and po

the biases that researchers bring to the study can influence the outcome.

a relatively narrow term that typically refers only to those inborn biological characteristics relating to reproduction, such as sex chromos

bias against people on the basis of their gender.

refers to a bias against anyone who is not exclusively heterosexual.

belief that men and women are generally similar in their intellectual and social skills.

individuals and cultures construct or invent their own versions of reality, based on prior experiences, social interactions, and beliefs

the results are not likely to occur by chance alone. In the mathematical formulas used in calculating statistical significance, the sample s

the United States is dominant over all other countries in the world, which are believed to have lower status. U.S.-centered nationalism reve

characteristic

points out that being White is the normal standard in our culture.

White people have certain privileges, based on their skin color.

White people have certain privileges, based on their skin color.

points out that the other three types of feminism overemphasize gender. Women-of-color feminists emphasize that feminism must pay attention

one of the male sex hormones.

a condition in which genetic males (XY) produce normal amounts of androgen, but a genetic condition makes their bodies not respond to androg

argues that children are active thinkers who seek information from their environment; children also try to make sense of this information an

in one form of this condition, genetic females (XX) receive as much androgen as males do during prenatal development.

Both girls and boys also learn that the boys’ group has greater power. This inequality encourages a sense of entitlement among the boys; the

one of the female sex hormones.

One of the first major steps in gender development is gender identity, or a girl labeling herself as a girl and a boy labeling himself as a

At a relatively early age, children develop powerful gender schemas; they organize information into two conceptual categories, female and ma

The tendency to associate with other children of the same gender.

how children acquire their knowledge about gender and how they develop their gender-related personality characteristics, preferences, skills

sex glands.

the period between birth and 18 months of life.

One who has genitals that are not clearly female or clearly male.

children learn by watching others and imitating them.

children learn by watching others and imitating them.

Once children in the United States and Canada begin school, a major source of information and attitudes about gender is their peer group—tha

the time before birth.

a general concept that we use to organize our thoughts and attitudes about a topic.

At conception, an egg with 23 chromosomes combines with a sperm, which also has 23 chromosomes. Together, they form a single cell that conta

argues that we tend to construct or invent our own versions of reality based on our prior experiences and beliefs.

proposes two major mechanisms for explaining how girls learn to act “feminine” and how boys learn to act “masculine”: 1. Children are reward

refers to the psychological changes that occur during puberty; adolescence is the transition phase between childhood and adulthood.

the ideas and customs associated with a social grouping such as country of origin, ethnic group, or religion.

Menstrual pain

When the level of a particular hormone is too low, a structure in the brain is signaled, and the chain of events repeats itself, producing m

When one claims to be a feminist.

A person’s self-rating of personal characteristics in the physical, psychological, and social dimensions.

the beginning of menstruation.

provides a statistical method for integrating numerous studies on a single topic.

eggs.

are about the size of walnuts, contain the follicles that hold the ova, or eggs, and produce estrogen and progesterone.

On about the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, one of the eggs breaks out of its follicle.

the name given to the cyclical set of symptoms that may occur a few days before menstruating. The list of symptoms often includes headaches,

substances that the body produces in high concentrations just before menstruation, and they can cause severe cramps.

During puberty, a young girl experiences the physical changes that lead to sexual maturity.

features of the body related to reproduction but not directly involved in it. These characteristics include breast development and pubic hai

a measure of how much you like and value yourself

The prefix “trans” means “across” or “beyond.” A transgendered person moves across or beyond the gender boundaries as they are defined in ou

the organ in which a fetus develops.

The most common kind of problem is called postpartum blues or baby blues, a short-lasting change in mood that usually occurs during the firs

argues for women’s special niceness and purity.

In a cesarean birth (pronounced sih-zare-ee-un; often called a cesarean section or a C-section), the physician makes an incision through the

The belief that all women should have children.

a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous support to a family throughout labor and delivery.

based on the idea that women should be subservient to men and should “know their place.”

the annual number of deaths prior to the first birthday, per 1,000 live births.

the failure to conceive after 1 year of sexual intercourse without using contraception.

an unintended termination of pregnancy.

includes the following components: 1. Empathic health-care providers who can encourage a woman’s sense of empowerment during pregnancy and c

an organ that allows oxygen and nutrients to pass from the mother to the embryo.

The most common kind of problem is called postpartum blues or baby blues, a short-lasting change in mood that usually occurs during the firs

a more intense and serious disorder, typically involving feelings of extreme sadness, exhaustion, sleep disturbances, despair, lack of inter

0 to 6 weeks after birth

A preterm birth is defined as less than 37 weeks’ gestation; a preterm birth places a child at risk for medical complications.

A preterm birth (also called a premature birth) is defined as less than 37 weeks’ gestation; a preterm birth places a child at risk for medi

bias based on age, most often a bias against elderly people.

Some theorists have proposed that people judge elderly women even more harshly than elderly men, a discrepancy called the double standard of

the period after children are no longer living at home.

a term that usually refers to a combination of estrogen and progestin. Hormone replacement therapy relieves some of the physical symptoms of

a sensation of heat coming from within the body. Heavy perspiration may accompany hot flashes, which can sometimes disrupt sleep.

A woman enters menopause when she has stopped having menstrual periods for 12 months. Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45

Many older women report high life satisfaction, despite the objective difficulties they encounter.

refers to middle-aged people, especially women, who find themselves responsible for both their dependent children and their aging parents.

a person maximizes gains and minimizes losses as she or he grows older.