Current Topics: A Clinical Perspective on Today’s Issues
Monday, October 26
Lecture: Janet Shibley Hyde: The Science of Gender Differences and Similarities
The differences model: major differences in the two stereotypic genders. Men and women are
different because of biological and innate causes. In a meta-analysis to assess the size of gender
difference, and the results indicated a very small difference. There are stereotypes regarding
verbal, mathematical and spatial skills. Mathematical differences are almost non-existent.
Predictors of maths achievement include mothers education, SES, home learning environment
and elementary school quality. Another stereotype is that depression is a female problem. In
terms of diagnosis, the odds ratio is 2 for female to male, and it can reach 3 between the ages of
13-15. In terms of symptoms, the difference size is small to non-existent. So there is an
over-diagnosis of women, and men may be reluctant to seek help. Pubertal hormones, stress and
peer sexual harassment could account for the depressive symptoms in adolescence. When it
comes to gender differences in sexuality, the largest behavioural differences are in porn use,
masturbation and casual sex. The largest attitudinal differences are casual sex and gay rights.
Gender empowerment and differences are determined by gender inequality. 78% of gender
differences are small or close to 0. Single-sex classrooms are costly because there is no empirical
support for them. Another problem is that much emphasis is on girls’ depression and boys are
often neglected. It is difficult to explain how men and women are very different but they still
deserve equal pay and opportunities.
Hyde: Chapter 12
Gender binary is the classification of whether someone is female or male.
Gender Roles and Stereotypes
A stereotype is a generalisation about a group of people that distinguishes them from others.
Gender roles are a set of norms, culturally defined expectations that define how people of one
gender ought to behave. Gender differences may depend on ethnicity. Heterosexuality is
important in terms of gender roles. According to intersectionality, effects of gender aren’t studied
in isolation, instead, categories of identity, difference and disadvantage are considered
simultaneously.
,African-Americans are known for their heritage and the experience of slavery, also racial
oppression. Black women’s sexuality is complicated. Black men are thought to be hypersexual,
they are discriminated, have a higher chance of going to prison, more often unemployed
compared to white men and believed to be dangerous.
Latinx (Hispanic Americans) value family a lot. Gender roles are sharply defined.
Asian Americans value academic achievement, family and group interdependence. men are
stereotyped as asexual people and women are seen as exotic sex toys. They are conservative. The
more women acculturate (incorporating the beliefs and customs of a new culture), the closer their
attitudes about sex are to those of European American women.
American Indians hold egalitarian beliefs. Two-spirit people are a third acknowledged gender,
also known as a “manly hearted woman” or “warrior woman”.
Socialisation is the ways in which society conveys to the individual its norms or expectations for
their behaviour. This starts in childhood and continues into adulthood. Parents have an early
influence on gender socialisation, so does peers. Media contributes to gender stereotypes too.
Women are often portrayed passive and men are active.
Psychological Gender Differences
Males are generally more aggressive than females, more impulsive (risk-taking and
sensation-seeking) and self-disclose less (adolescents). A study has found out that both men and
women use social media to maintain relationships. Women are better than men in decoding
verbal cues in others.
Gender Differences in Sexuality
Men masturbate more often than women and are more approving of casual sex (found in a study
where men were more motivated to have casual sex in a professional setting). Men report
watching pornography more. Men are more aroused by erotic materials, but the difference is
small (this was tested with a penile strain gauge and a photoplethysmograph), but a difference is
that men report their arousal appropriately while women are sometimes unaware, but this can be
fixed by guiding women to focus their attention to it. Men have more consistent orgasms than
women, but the difference disappears when women have women partners. Men have a stronger
sex drive than women, think about sex more often and want to have more frequent sex.
Why the Differences?
,It could be that people could be reporting what is expected from them. The bogus pipeline
method (fake polygraph) eliminated some of the differences. Anatomy and hormones could
account for the differences as well. Men’s sexual anatomy is more visible than women, also their
arousal, so men are more likely to notice it and masturbate. The levels of testosterone are higher
in males, which could explain the sex drive. Cultural differences consist of the restriction on
women’s sexuality. The double standard gives men more freedom than women (casual sex could
mean status for men but being a slut for women). Gender roles also contribute to the differences.
People with children could stop having sex because of the presence of a third person in the
house. Women often have more body issues than men, in which the media can be blamed for.
The four myths of sex are that (1) people are very comfortable about sex, (2) men aren’t into
talking about feelings, (3) all touching is sexual or should lead to sex, and (4) sex is centred on a
hard penis and what’s done with it. Another factor for the differences is that women get pregnant.
Ineffective stimulation also causes problems. Boys often start their sexual experiences with
masturbating while girls get pet by boys, which indicates a dependency.
Beyond the Young Adults
Majority of research focuses on college students. Women get more consistent with orgasms after
around the age of 40. Other findings are inconsistent with this one.
Transgender Issues and Experience
Transgender people are people whose gender identity doesn’t match their birth-assigned gender.
Genderqueer people categorise themselves out of the gender binary (non-binary). Transsexuals
are whose gender identity does not match their natal gender. Cisgender is the term that is used to
refer to people who are in the gender binary. Gender dysphoria refers to the psychological
distress about a mismatch between a person's gender identity and natal gender. It can appear in
childhood (clothing and toy preferences). Diagnosis is only suitable for people who feel
distressed. Transphobia refers to an irrational fear of trans people. Anti-trans prejudice refers to
the negative attitudes and behaviours towards trans people. Trans people face a lot of
discrimination in many aspects of life. those whose identity is nonbinary may prefer to be called
by gender-neutral pronouns (ze, hir). Interventions are effective in terms of breaking these
prejudices. Parental support helps with the social transitioning of trans children. Implicit
association tests displayed that trans boys are like girls psychologically. Brain differentiation is
also seen in trans people. The intensity of gender dysphoria determines whether it will persist or
, not. Gender identity and sexual orientation are different things. Those who are gynephilic are
sexually attracted to women, and those who are androphilic are sexually attracted to men. Trans
people can be bisexual too. Trans people don’t get healthcare that is good enough. They face
discrimination, and hormone therapy is often not covered by insurance. Social translation refers
to the process in which trans youth or adults live openly in a way that matches their gender
identity, not their natal gender. Those who wish to transition medically or surgically are often
called transsexuals. This procedure is also called gender-confirming therapy. Medical treatments
include (1) hormone therapy for puberty suppression, (2) hormone therapy to feminize or
masculinize the body, (3) chest surgery for removal of breasts, (4) genital surgery for the removal
of penis, clitoris uterus fallopian tubes, to create a penis or a clitoris and so on.
The trans-affirmative psychotherapy guidelines include (1) basic knowledge of the psychologists,
(2) understanding of prejudice, (3) understanding of transgender development across the
lifespan, (4) social support and affirmative care, (5) Psychologists often are part of
interdisciplinary treatment.
Prenatal development influences gender variation. MTFs, for example, are more likely than
control males to have a mutation in the androgen receptor gene.
A Meta-Analytic Review of Research on Gender Differences
in Sexuality, 1993–2007
(since its not part of exam material, I did not include the methods and results)
Oliver and Hyde’s (1993) meta-analysis considered 177 studies to estimate the magnitude of
gender differences in reported sexual behaviours and attitudes. The results indicated that men
reported more sexual activity and more permissive attitudes. changes in sexual culture have been
paralleled by changes in sexual behaviours and attitudes, sexual behaviours and attitudes became
more liberal across time. women, but not men, reported more sexual activity and more
permissive attitudes across time, thus reducing the gender gap in sexuality.
Theoretical Frameworks
Evolutionary Psychology: gender differences in sexuality are a result of evolution and a product
of men and women differing in their strategies for genetic success. sexual strategies theory:
women focus on ensuring the survival of each offspring by choosing a mate who will provide
resources for their family, but men historically desired many short-term sexual partners in order
to have children to pass on their genes. In the long term, men do care about their partner choice.