bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual Assault Experience in Adulthood and Prior Victimization Experiences
Authors: Gidycz Christine A. , Coble Christie Nelson , Latham Lance , Layman Melissa J.
Published: July 2006

Several retrospective investigations of sexual assault have assessed the extent to which a sexual victimization experience early in life is a risk factor for a subsequent victimization experience. The present investigation was an attempt to extend previous work by conducting a prospective analysis of sexual assault in a sample of 857 college women to assess the pathways through which victimization experiences become linked. The design was such that both victims' and nonvictims' history of child and adolescent sexual victimization experiences were assessed prior to their most recent assault experience. Psychological functioning was also assessed utilizing standardized measures of depression and anxiety. After the assault experience, psychological functioning of victims was reassessed, and nonvictims were reassessed after a comparable period of time. Results of the path analysis indicated that a sexual victimization early in life is a risk factor for an adult victimization experience. Furthermore, the results revealed a link between psychological functioning and victimization experiences. The discussion emphasizes clinical implications of these findings and suggested avenues for future research.
“They Have Eyes and See Not”
Authors: Izraeli Dafna N.
Published: July 2006

An analysis of the display of gender in an Israeli museum of social history decodes the practices by which the museum constructs gender and uses gender difference in the display of Jewish life to construct male dominance and to marginalize women. It reinforces a stereotypical world in which women remain nameless and voiceless and have no contribution to show for themselves. Far from being a reflection of historical reality, women's marginalization is the erasure of women's contribution to Jewish survival. This trivialization of women goes unnoticed by the visitor, to whom the display seems perfectly natural and factually acceptable, and contributes to the preservation of gender difference and inequality in Israeli society. Thus, Beit Hatefusot can be seen as a metaphor for the nonconscious ideology that marginalizes women in Israeli culture and results in their exclusion from such activities that are honored or glorified or bring money or power.
Gender and Task in the Determination of Spatial Cognitive Performance
Authors: Sharps Matthew J. , Welton Angela L. , Price Jana L.
Published: July 2006

A variety of sex differences in spatial cognitive performance have been documented. However, factors other than those specifically related to gender and cognition per se, such as the perceived spatial character of given tasks, may contribute to such differences. In the present experiments, spatial memory and mental image rotation tasks were presented to female and male adults. The task formats or instructions were varied to emphasize or deemphasize the spatial character of the tasks. Highly “spatial” instructions or format significantly depressed performance on spatial tasks for women but not for men. “Nonspatial” instructions or format, within which the spatial character of the task was not explicit, resulted in no significant differences between the performances of women and men on either type of task. These findings indicate that instructional or format effects relating to the purported “spatial” character of a given task may significantly influence the relative performance of women and men.
The Women's Studies Experience: Impetus for Feminist Activism
Authors: Stake Jayne E. , Roades Laurie , Rose Suzanna , Ellis Lisa , West Carolyn
Published: July 2006

The impact of women's studies courses on students' feminist activism and related behaviors was assessed through quantitative and qualitative methods. At pretesting, women's studies students (10 classes: 161 women and 18 men) did not report significantly more activism than nonwomen's studies students taught by women's studies faculty (9 classes: 73 women and 48 men) or nonwomen's studies students taught by nonwomen's studies faculty (12 classes: 107 women and 47 men). At posttesting, women's studies students, relative to the comparison students, reported more activism during the semester of evaluation, stronger intentions to engage in future feminist activism, and more important and more positive course-related influences on their personal lives ( p < .0001).
Preferring “Housewives” To “Feminists”: Categorization and the Favorability of Attitudes Toward Women
Authors: Haddock Geoffrey , Zanna Mark P.
Published: July 2006

Four studies are described outlining the favorability of attitudes toward women. In Study 1, participants indicated their attitudes toward women and men and their construal of the term “women.” The results revealed that women were evaluated more favorably than men, but that male right-wing authoritarians (RWAs) who construed women as referring primarily to feminists were least favorable in their attitudes. In Study 2, participants indicated their attitudes toward both “housewives” and “feminists.” The results revealed that feminists were evaluated less favorably than housewives, and that the most negative attitudes toward feminists were expressed by authoritarian men. Study 3 revealed that high-RWA males held more negative symbolic beliefs concerning feminists (i.e., beliefs that feminists failed to promote participants' values) and that these beliefs accounted for variation in attitudes among high RWAs and much of the RWA-attitude relation. Finally, Study 4 revealed that high RWAs perceived greater value dissimilarity between themselves and feminists. The implications of the findings for future research are discussed.
Rape Myths
Authors: Lonsway Kimberly A. , Fitzgerald Louise F.
Published: July 2006

Theories of sexual aggression and victimization have increasingly emphasized the role of rape myths in the perpetuation of sexual assault. Rape myths are attitudes and generally false beliefs about rape that are widely and persistently held, and that serve to deny and justify male sexual aggression against women. Acceptance of such myths has been assessed with a number of measures, and investigators have examined its relationship with numerous variables and interventions. Although there has been extensive research in this area, definitions, terminology, and measures of rape myth acceptance (RMA) continue to lack adequate theoretical and psychometric precision. Despite such criticisms, we emphasize that the significance of this type of research cannot be overstated because it has immense potential for the understanding of sexual assault. The present article offers a theory-based definition of rape myths, reviews and critiques the literature on rape myth acceptance, and suggests directions for future research. In particular we argue that such work must include the development and application of improved measures, with more concern for the theoretical and methodological issues unique to this field.
The Long-Term Impact Of Women's Studies on Students' Personal Lives and Political Activism
Authors: Stake Jayne E. , Rose Suzanna
Published: July 2006

Stake, Roades, Rose, Ellis, and West (1994) reported that women's studies classes led to more feminist activism and greater personal course-related changes than nonwomen's studies classes. The present study tested the durability of the positive changes observed in women studies students 9 months following the last week of class. Comparisons between students who participated at follow-up (26.3%) and students who did not participate indicated that the follow-up participants were representative of all students who completed the courses. In the follow-up sample, class impact reported in the last week of class was sustained at follow-up. Women's studies students continued to report substantial changes in their interactions with others and willingness to adopt new roles and behaviors. Ratings of positive effects were significantly higher than ratings of negative effects ( p < .0001). Students' responses indicated they were using their women's studies learning as a framework for understanding their experiences and making lifestyle changes.
Transforming Lesbian Sexuality
Authors: Rothblum Esther D.
Published: July 2006

Women are objectified and sexualized by the media and the economy, so that they live in a culture of sex. Lesbians are excluded from the mainstream sexual and appearance norms for women, yet are affected by these norms, including the association of sex and violence against women. The word sexuality has been used to connote both sexual orientation and sexual activity, and it is argued that this dual meaning illustrates the dominance of patriarchal definitions of women's sexuality. This article discusses methodologic issues in understanding who is a lesbian and presents various models or dimensions for understanding who is included in research about lesbians. It asks the question “What is sex?” and reviews the implications of this question for lesbian sexual activity. This question has implications for a collorary question: “What is a lesbian relationship?”, and the article discusses the implications of this question on various forms of sexual and nonsexual relationships among lesbians.
The Impact of Childcare Responsibility and Self-Efficacy on the Psychological Health of Professional Working Mothers
Authors: Ozer Elizabeth M.
Published: July 2006

This study examined how childcare responsibility and self-efficacy to manage multiple role demands related to the psychological well-being and distress of 42 full-time professional women one month after they returned to their jobs after the birth of their first child. The results showed that greater childcare responsibility is associated with lower well-being and greater psychological distress. As predicted, perceived self-efficacy to cope with demands of occupational and familial roles appeared to mediate this relationship. A woman's belief in her capability to enlist the help of her spouse for childcare was the most consistent predictor of both well-being and distress.
Women's Perceptions Of Female Contraceptive Behavior: Experimental Evidence of the Sexual Double Standard
Authors: Hynie Michaela , Lydon John E.
Published: July 2006

A social perception study was conducted to examine the effect of the sexual double standard on impressions of a female target. As part of a “social memory” study, 57 female undergraduates read a fictitious woman's diary describing a sexual encounter where the woman provided a condom, the man provided a condom, or the couple had unprotected intercourse. Participants made behavioral judgments and interpersonal judgments about the couple, and rated the female target on several personality traits. Women rated the target's behavior more negatively, and as more inappropriate, when she provided a condom, than when her partner provided a condom. Participants also assumed that the target's partner would feel less positive about her when she provided a condom than if he provided a condom or if they had unprotected intercourse. These results are discussed with respect to the continued existence of the sexual double standard, and its impact on women's contraceptive behavior.
Risk Factors For Sexual Victimization In Dating: A Longitudinal Study of College Women
Authors: Himelein Melissa J.
Published: July 2006

In this longitudinal study of college women, nine risk characteristics assessed prior to the start of college were examined in the effort to identify predictors of sexual victimization in college dating. A total of 100 women were followed for 32 months, with information about personal history, behaviors, and attitudes collected at Time 1 and information about subsequent sexual victimization collected at Time 2. Although four risk factors were significantly associated with victimization, a logistic regression analysis revealed that the best prediction model contained only two variables: Precollege sexual victimization in dating was positively correlated with college victimization, and sexual conservatism was negatively correlated with college victimization. Discussion focused on the needs for improved sex education for teenagers, prevention programs aimed at the precollege level, and increased research and clinical attention to the phenomenon of revictimization.
The Influence Of Misogynous Rap Music On Sexual Aggression Against Women
Authors: Barongan Christy , Hall Gordon C. Nagayama
Published: July 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of cognitive distortions concerning women on sexually aggressive behavior in the laboratory. Twenty-seven men listened to misogynous rap music and 27 men listened to neutral rap music. Participants then viewed neutral, sexual-violent, and assaultive film vignettes and chose one of the vignettes to show to a female confederate. Among the participants in the misogynous music condition, 30% showed the assaultive vignette and 70% showed the neutral vignette. In the neutral condition, 7% showed the sexual-violent or assaultive vignette and 93% showed the neutral vignette. Participants who showed the sexual-violent or assaultive stimuli reported that the confederate was more upset and uncomfortable in viewing these stimuli than did participants who showed the neutral vignette. These findings suggest that misogynous music facilitates sexually aggressive behavior and support the relationship between cognitive distortions and sexual aggression.
Reweaving The Tapestry: Embodying The Lives Of Women Of Color
Authors: Sanchez-Hucles Janis V.
Published: July 2006

Women of Color: Integrating Ethnic and Gender Identities in Psychotherapy, Lillian Comas-Díaz and Beverly Greene. New York: Guilford Press, 1994. 518 pp., $44.95, ISBN: 0-89862-371–5.
You Say You Want A Revolution
Authors: Tiefer Leonore
Published: July 2006

Subversive Dialogues: Theory in Feminist Therapy, Laura S. Brown. New York: Basic Books, 1994. 258 pp., $33.00 (cloth), ISBN: 0-465-08322–6.
The Sexual Harassment of Men?: Exploring the Concept with Theory and Data
Authors: Berdahl Jennifer L. , Magley Vicki J. , Waldo Craig R.
Published: July 2006

Recently the focus of sexual harassment research on the harassment of women by men has been challenged. Treatments of sexual harassment of men, however, have generally ignored power differentials between the genders. Our analysis predicts that behaviors identified as harassing by men stem from negotiations of gender in the workplace that challenge male dominance, whereas behaviors experienced by women as sexually harassing reinforce female subordinance. Consistent with our predictions, results indicated the following: men are considerably less threatened than women are by behaviors that women have found harassing; men find sexual coercion the most threatening form of harassment; men as well as women sexually harass men; and men identify behaviors as harassing that have not been identified for women. Results also showed signs of backlash among men against organizational measures that address sexual harassment and discrimination against women. Implications for psychological and legal definitions of sexual harassment of men are discussed.
Closeness, Autonomy, Equity, and Relationship Satisfaction in Lesbian Couples
Authors: Schreurs Karlein M. G. , Buunk Bram P.
Published: July 2006

It is often assumed that in lesbian relationships a high degree of closeness is reached at the expense of autonomy of the partners. The present study among 119 Dutch lesbian couples examined the effect on relational satisfaction of two dimensions of closeness, emotional dependency and intimacy, and of autonomy and equity. The women in this study were generally open about their lesbian relationship, and reactions of the social environment were mostly positive. Autonomy was negatively related to dependency, but not at all to intimacy. Intimacy and equity as reported by the respondent and her partner, as well as dependency and autonomy reported by the respondent, were independent predictors of relationship satisfaction. Support from the social environment and participation in lesbian subcultures did not play a role in relationship satisfaction.
Feminist Identity, Gender Traits, and Symptoms of Disturbed Eating Among College Women
Authors: Snyder Rita , Hasbrouck Lynn
Published: July 2006

This study explored relationships among feminist identity, gender traits, and symptoms of disturbed eating. Seventy-one college women completed the following: weight-related questions, Feminist Identity Development Scale, Personal Attributes Questionnaire, Figure Rating Scale, and Eating Disorders Inventory. Identification with feminist values negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction, bulimic symptoms, and feelings of ineffectiveness. Identification with stereotypical masculine traits was inversely related to perfectionist tendencies and feelings of ineffectiveness, but was unrelated to body concerns. These results suggest factors promoting body dissatisfaction and disturbed eating may have less impact on college women identifying with feminist values, such as commitment to nonsexist roles and personal empowerment.
Recent Titles on Women's Health
Authors: Travis Cheryl B.
Published: July 2006

Women and Health: Feminist Perspectives. Sue Wilkinson and Celia Kitzinger (Eds.). London: Taylor and Francis, 1994. 209 pp., $79 (cloth), ISBN: 0748401482; $24.94 (paper), ISBN: 0748401490.

Psychological Aspects of Women's Health Care: The Interface between Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Donna E. Stewart and Nada L. Stotland (Eds.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1993. 569 pp., $68.50 (cloth), ISBN: 0880484217.
How Children Learn to be Boys and Girls
Authors: Goldstein E. Bruce
Published: July 2006

Boys and Girls: The Development of Gender Roles, Carole R. Beal. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1994. 380 pp., $36.00 (paper), ISBN: 0-07-004533-X.
Female Partners of Bisexual Men
Authors: Stokes Joseph P. , McKirnan David J. , Doll Lynda , Burzette Rebecca G.
Published: July 2006

Individual interviews with 350 behaviorally bisexual men aged 18-30 revealed that 71% of their female sexual partners and 59% of their steady female sexual partners in the past 6 months had not been aware of their homosexual activity. Rates of nondisclosure were higher for African-American than White men. Compared to nondisclosers, men who disclosed to all their female partners were less self-homophobic and perceived their friends, families, and neighbors as more accepting of their homosexual behavior. Compared to men who had disclosed, the nondisclosers had more female partners and used condoms less consistently with women.
Attitudes Toward Women in Taiwan and China
Authors: Chia Rosina C. , Allred Linda J. , Jerzak Page A.
Published: July 2006

The goals of this article are to review published data from both English and Chinese sources on current attitudes toward women in Taiwan and China and to discuss issues in cross-cultural research that may affect the discovery and reporting of effects. Chinese women in both countries, when compared to men, had more liberal attitudes toward women, but women in China had more traditionally oriented attitudes than women in Taiwan. Yang's (1986) modernization theory was used to explain these results. There was also some overlap of gender roles in both cultures, with some traditional masculine (or feminine) roles played by the other gender. We propose that modernization may lead not only to greater gender equality but also to changes in the nature of gender roles, leading to greater gender-role overlap, in which it is advantageous for both men and women to have less distinctive gender-role characteristics. Finally, issues of construct validation, response sets, and alternative approaches to scale development are addressed, and suggestions for future research are offered.
Predictors of Responses to Unwanted Sexual Attention
Authors: Cochran Caroline C. , Frazier Patricia A. , Olson Andrea M.
Published: July 2006

Data were collected from 4,011 male and female university students, faculty, and staff regarding responses to unwanted sexual attention. Women and undergraduate students reported the highest incidence of unwanted sexual attention; most harassers were peers. Ignoring the behavior was the most common response, followed by avoiding the harasser and talking to others about the harassment. Harassment severity was the strongest predictor of responses, with more direct responses being made to more severe harassment. Bivariate correlational analyses suggested that unwanted sexual attention was rated as more distressing by women than by men, by faculty/staff than by students, by individuals with less tolerant attitudes toward harassment, and when the harasser was in a position of authority or when the harassment was of longer duration. In path analyses, only the relations between attitudes and responses were mediated by differences in perceived severity. The gender and status (i.e., student vs. faculty/staff) of the harassee, the duration of the harassment, and whether the harasser was in a position of authority had direct effects on responses not attributable to perceived severity. Implications for policy and future research are discussed.
Cognitive Style and Attitudinal Correlates of the Perceived Causes of Rape Scale
Authors: Cowan Gloria , Quinton Wendy J.
Published: July 2006

This study examines the relations between beliefs about the causes of rape and attitudinal and cognitive style (the tendency to think about social problems systemically, the view of people as complex and changeable, and an intellectual personality) measures in a sample of 270 community-college students. The Perceived Causes of Rape (PCR) Scale included the following subscales: Male Dominance, Society and Socialization, Female Precipitation, Male Sexuality, and Male Hostility. Beliefs about the causes of rape varied on three dimensions: individual versus sociocultural causes of rape, those causes that focus on the perpetrator versus those that focus on the victim, and rape myths versus feminist beliefs. The causes of rape identified as rape myths were associated with male sexuality stereotypes, a version of Burt's (1980) Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, attitudes toward feminism, and self-identification as a feminist. Agreement with the sociocultural causes of rape was associated with cognitive style measures and age. We suggest that belief in sociocultural causes of rape may require a predisposition to think systemically as much as an ideological stance.
An Experimental Replication of the Depressed-Entitlement Effect Among Women
Authors: Jost John T.
Published: July 2006

Previous research has suggested that women pay themselves significantly less than men pay themselves for the same amount of work (Callahan-Levy & Messé, 1979; Major, McFarlin, & Gagnon, 1984). In an experimental study involving 132 participants (68 men and 64 women), this “depressed-entitlement effect” was replicated in a current sample of university students. Independent judges unaware of participant gender perceived no differences in quality between products of men and women, indicating that the two groups' efforts did not differ in objective terms. Results are interpreted in terms of a general system-justification framework (Jost & Banaji, 1994), according to which members of disadvantaged groups internalize ideological justifications for their own disadvantage.
Shaken Confidence: The Effects of an Authority Figure's Flirtatiousness on Women's and Men's Self-Rated Creativity
Authors: Satterfield Arthur T. , Muehlenhard Charlene L.
Published: July 2006

Anecdotal evidence suggests that sexual harassment may cause women to doubt their abilities, attributing their success to their professor's or supervisor's attraction to them rather than to their qualifications. Two experiments assessed whether a decrease in confidence could result from something as seemingly harmless as flirting. In Experiment 1, a male confederate posing as an advertising executive asked 56 female students to draw an advertisement, which he then praised. He behaved either flirtatiously or neutrally. In Experiment 2, female and male students interacted with a flirtatious or neutral advertisement executive of the other gender. In both experiments, women's self-creativity ratings decreased significantly more from pre-to posttest in the flirtatious condition than in the control condition. Men were affected less than women by the ad executive's flirtatiousness. The results suggest that flirtatiousness by an authority figure may have negative consequences for women's self-confidence.
Illustrating Feminist Theory
Authors: Collins Lynn H.
Published: July 2006

Feminist theory holds that many of the pathological behaviors observed in patients result from their position in the social hierarchy. The goals of the demonstration detailed in this article are to show the impact of current gender roles on the psychological well-being of women and men and to generate understanding and discussion of the problems that relative status can create in the therapeutic relationship. This teaching demonstration draws parallels between the Zimbardo (1971) prison experiment and the impact that assignment to low- and high-power roles can have on the psychological health of women and men. Students are asked to rate men and women on some of the diagnostic criteria that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) associates with Axis I and II diagnoses. The students watch a video of Zimbardo's prison study and then rate the prisoners and guards. This demonstration provides another explanation for gender patterns in psychopathology by demonstrating that psychologically healthy White males will develop different patterns of psychopathology depending on whether they are placed in a dominant or subordinate role. When placed in the subordinate role, they exhibit behaviors typically seen in women clients; when placed in a dominant role they exhibit behaviors commonly associated with male clients. This exercise demonstrates the unhealthy nature of the gender roles for both women and men.
A Black Feminist Model of Rape Myth Acceptance
Authors: White Aaronette M. , Strube Michael J. , Fisher Sherri
Published: July 2006

A Black feminist model was used to investigate rape myth acceptance between African American antirape activists and a comparison group of nonactivists using Cross's (1991) racial identity model and Downing and Roush's (1985) feminist identity model. As predicted, activists rejected rape myths more than nonactivists; the earlier stages of both models were associated with rape myth acceptance; the later stages were associated with rape myth rejection; and activists evidenced more sociopolitical maturity (race and gender consciousness) than nonactivists. The findings suggest that researchers may need to investigate to what degree rape myth acceptance serves an overarching system of social domination where racism and sexism overlap.
Empowering Token Women Leaders
Authors: Yoder Janice D. , Schleicher Thomas L. , McDonald Theodore W.
Published: July 2006

We hypothesized that, in a masculine task, only token women leaders who were empowered through position (by being appointed leader) and expertise (trained with task-relevant information) and legitimated by a male experimenter as credible would be more effective in influencing the performance of their all-male groups than appointed-only and appointed-trained leaders. Thirty women undergraduates each led a small group of male students on a moon survival task. The hypothesis was supported. Videotapes of group interactions revealed that appointed-trained leaders interrupted group members and used tentative tag questions in failed attempts to share their task-relevant knowledge. In addition, group members reported the most dissatisfaction with appointed-trained leaders who, without legitimacy, violated diffused gender roles by presuming to be expert on a masculine task. The importance of the organizational empowerment of token women is underscored.
Depression in Women as Related to Anger and Mutuality in Relationships
Authors: Sperberg Elizabeth D. , Stabb Sally D.
Published: July 2006

Self-in-relation theory (Jordan, Kaplan, Miller, Stiver, & Surrey, 1991) proposes that a lack of mutuality in women's relationships predisposes them to depression and inhibits their ability to acknowledge and address effectively emotions such as anger. Research linking anger to depression has not examined women's emotional expressivity within the context of their partner relationships. Women's depression as a function of both their level of anger suppression or inappropriate anger expression and the level of perceived relationship mutuality was studied in a sample of 223 college women, aged 18 to 54. Lower levels of mutuality and higher levels of suppressed or inappropriately expressed anger were associated with depression. Moreover, mutuality made contributions to predicting depression beyond that explained by anger. Lower mutuality was also related to higher anger suppression, but unrelated to inappropriately expressed anger.
The Direct and Moderating Influences of Sexual-Harassment Pervasiveness, Coping Strategies, and Gender on Work-Related Outcomes
Authors: Stockdale Margaret S.
Published: July 2006

This study explores the direct and moderating influences of sexual-harassment (SH) pervasiveness, coping strategies, and gender on work-related consequences of sexual harassment among a national, representative sample of federal employees who had experienced some form of unwanted sexual attention ( N = 553 men and 1,782 women). Regression analysis revealed that, contrary to conventional wisdom, individuals who experienced frequent SH and who used confrontive coping strategies tended to experience worse job outcomes than did others. Furthermore, use of confrontive coping tended to amplify associations between harassment pervasiveness and consequences, especially for men. A “wimpy male” hypothesis to explain this last finding is discussed. Finally, the study suggests that efforts to help both women and men to effectively respond to sexual harassment are needed.
The Effects of Defendant and Complainant Intoxication on Mock Jurors' Judgments of Sexual Assault
Authors: Schuller Regina A. , Wall Anne-Marie
Published: July 2006

The present study investigates the impact of participant gender, rape-myth beliefs, and alcohol intoxication on the part of either the defendant and/or alleged victim on mock jurors' decisions within the context of a sexual-assault trial. Participants ( N = 152) were exposed to a sexual-assault case in which the beverage consumption (alcohol, cola) on the part of both the defendant and complainant prior to the sexual intercourse was varied systematically. Results indicated that when the defendant had consumed alcohol, as opposed to cola, participants were more likely to view the case as one of assault, to perceive the defendant as less credible, and to find the defendant guilty. When the complainant had consumed alcohol, as opposed to cola, participants found the complainant's claim less credible and were less likely to view the defendant as guilty. In addition, participants' rape-myth acceptance, which was related to guilt, mediated the relation between gender of participant and guilt.
Gender-Related Patterns of Helping Among Friends
Authors: George Darren , Carroll Patrice , Kersnick Robert , Calderon Katie
Published: July 2006

In this study, the social role theory of gender and helping (Eagly & Crowley, 1986) was applied to understand gender differences in helping behavior. Relationships among criterion variables of time spent helping and help quality; and key predictors of problem severity, empathic tendency, anger, sympathy, closeness, causal controllability, coping, and self-efficacy were applied. Participants from a large community sample ( N = 1,004) described situations in which they helped a friend and completed questionnaires describing factors that influenced their actions. Recipients of the help also filled out similar questionnaires. It was found that across many problem settings women spend more time helping, give higher quality help, and feel more empathy and sympathy in response to their friends' problems. Further, the presence of anger toward a friend is associated with more time spent helping but a lower quality of help. In contrast, men rate their friends' problems as more controllable/blameworthy and experience more anger. Further, controllability has a greater influence on a number of help-related variables. For both men and women, self-efficacy and perception of problem severity are the greatest direct predictors of helping.
Binge Drinking Among American College Women
Authors: Dowdall George W. , Crawford Mary , Wechsler Henry
Published: July 2006

This study examines data from questionnaires to establish the prevalence and correlates of women's binge drinking, defined as four or more drinks per episode, at women's colleges ( n = 508) and at coeducational colleges ( n = 9,624). Results showed that women at women's colleges binged less frequently, had fewer alcohol-related problems, experienced fewer negative effects of others' drinking, and were less likely to drink and drive. The correlates of binge drinking were similar for the two groups of women. The differences appear to be related not to the quantity or amount of socializing but to its quality. The absence of fraternities and coeducational dormitories, the reduced likelihood of a party-centered lifestyle, and self-selection factors at women's colleges all may contribute to a healthier environment for women. Interventions designed to lower the risk of college binge drinking should further explore the peer-group contexts in which problem drinking is reduced.
Making Commitments, Creating Lives
Authors: Vandewater Elizabeth A. , Stewart Abigail J.
Published: July 2006

This study examined the midlife personality implications of different long-term patterns of commitment to work1 and family in a sample of educated women. Women with different work commitment patterns differed on both observer and self-report of instrumentality, and on observer report of interpersonal orientation and valuation of social norms. Women with different family-role commitment patterns differed only on self-report of valuation of social norms. Multivariate analyses also indicated that interpersonal orientation and instrumentality may not represent bipolar ends of the same personality continuum, and that interpersonal orientation as a broad personality domain may be comprised of distinct qualities (i.e., warmth vs. dependence). Taken together, these findings imply that when variations in the nature of women's work and family commitments are taken into account, a more comprehensive understanding of the similarities and differences in their personalities can result.
Reflections on a Feminist Research Project
Authors: Grossman Frances K. , Kruger Lou-Marie , Moore Roslin P.
Published: July 2006

This article describes the group process in a feminist research project on resiliency in adult women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Memos written by members of the research team that were content analyzed independently provided the major source of data. Researchers' subjectivity, members' expectations for intimacy, and the role of power were examined. We describe how group members learned that taking the researcher's subjectivity into account affected our understanding of participant stories. The longing for intimacy created frustrations that needed to be acknowledged and processed by the group. Further tensions revolved around the feminist ideal of egalitarian relationships, which at times conflicted with the need for efficient decision making. We conclude with suggestions to aid feminist researchers in negotiating process issues.
Women's Perspectives on Feminism
Authors: Snelling Susan J.
Published: July 2006

This Q-methodological study identified and described women's multiple perspectives on feminism. Fifty Q-sort items reflecting various perspectives represented in feminist theory were developed. These items were rated by 59 women along a “most agree”-“most disagree” dimension. Principal components analysis was used to identify groups of women who sorted the items in similar ways. Six distinct points of view were identified in the Q-sorts, five of which are discussed in detail. The five perspectives were interpreted and labeled based on the examination of the Q-sorts of the participants in each group. Follow-up interviews with selected participants also contributed to the understanding of these perspectives. The research demonstrates the multidimensional nature of the feminism construct. Future research on feminism should recognize the multiple ways of conceptualizing feminism in order to represent the construct as women experience it.
Subject to Romance
Authors: Gavey Nicola , McPhillips Kathryn
Published: July 2006

Safer sex campaigns directed at heterosexuals have increasingly targeted women to encourage them to take responsibility for condom use. It appears, however, that many women are unable or unwilling to accept this role. In this article we report on one particular kind of obstacle that some women face in initiating condom use. We draw on data from interviews with 14 women, aged 22 to 43 years, about their experiences with, and views of, condoms. There was considerable variability, as well as commonalities, among the women interviewed in the way they regarded condoms. Using a feminist poststructuralist form of discourse analysis, we explored two women's accounts of being unable to initiate condom use despite their stated intentions not to have intercourse without a condom and having condoms in their possession. We suggest that this particular dynamic results from the passivity women can experience through being positioned in a discourse of heterosexual feminine sexuality in general and a discourse of heterosexual romance in particular. We discuss how this passivity can be experienced by women who are
Hearing Voices
Authors: Russell Glenda M. , Bohan Janis S.
Published: July 2006

This article focuses on the uses of research rather than on research methods per se. It highlights a particular feminist perspective: the importance of returning the results of research to the communities from which they derive. A theoretical rationale for psychological research on social issues argues that such work is inevitably value laden; bears implications for social change; and at its best amounts to a conversation among the researcher, the participants, and the community—one that ought to continue beyond the formal research project. This position is illustrated by two research projects and the means through which their findings were communicated back to lay communities. The unusual products of the research described here—an oratorio and a documentary video—and the process of their development are discussed.
Innovative Methods
Authors: Gergen Mary , Chrisler Joan C. , LoCicero Alice
Published: July 2006

A selection of innovative methods congenial to research in feminist psychology is reviewed. The methods described include collaborations, discourse analysis, ethnography, existential-phenomenological inquiry, focus groups, interviews, narrative investigations, performative methods, and the Q-sort. A brief description of undergraduate and graduate courses that emphasize these methods in their curricula follows. A bibliography of over 300 entries organized by type of innovative method is included. Journals recommended as publishing outlets for research using these innovative methods are listed with their Web sites.
Mapping Gender
Authors: Twenge Jean M.
Published: July 2006

Recent theoretical and empirical work on gender-related attributes suggests a multifactorial approach, with masculine and feminine characteristics composed of many different areas: instrumentality/expressiveness in personality, occupations and leisure interests, physical/material attributes, stylistic and symbolic behaviors, social relationships, feminist attitudes, and self-rated masculinity/femininity. This article tests the multifactorial approach by measuring variables in every area by questionnaire and videotape in a sample of undergraduates. Bivariate correlations and factor analysis reveal a robust factor linking occupations and leisure interests for both men and women. Women's gender-related attributes show little coherence outside this factor. Men display a “male dominance” factor connecting low expressiveness, sports interest, male friends, sitting with knees wide apart, and conservative attitudes toward feminism. The results support a multifactorial approach but also uphold a link for men between masculine attributes and more traditional attitudes toward gender roles.
What is a Feminist?
Authors: Twenge Jean M. , Zucker Alyssa N.
Published: July 2006

This article outlines the evaluation and stereotype of feminists, based on responses to closed-ended semantic differential traits as well as open-ended, projective responses to a hypothetical male or female feminist. Consistent across both methodologies, undergraduate respondents (Study 1: N=210; Study 2: N=135) viewed feminists as politically liberal, assertive/career oriented, and more likely to be heterosexual than lesbian. Most evaluations were neutral to slightly positive, with a few negative areas. However, feminists were seen in less positive terms than the typical woman and were described as much more assertive and politically liberal. Gender, race, birth cohort, gender of target, and feminist-attitude differences are presented. Despite the neutral to slightly positive evaluation, most respondents did not personally identify as feminists, possibly because they misperceive others' attitudes toward feminists as more negative than they actually are.
Challenges Facing Female Doctoral Students and Recent Graduates
Authors: Moyer Anne , Salovey Peter , Casey-Cannon Shannon
Published: July 2006

Although increasing the numbers of women and minority faculty in academia is a widely held goal, their numbers remain small. The presence of women and minorities decreases disproportionately at each ascending rung of the academic ladder. This investigation identified factors potentially contributing to attrition in White and non-White women at a critical stage in their careers: as doctoral candidates and recent graduates. Two-hundred and twenty-four women in the life sciences, social sciences, and the humanities described their most pressing professional and personal concerns and offered suggestions for changes in their fields and in academia more generally. Independent raters coded responses by thematic content. Differences in responses by field, educational status, and minority status were examined. The most frequently cited concerns involved practical issues such as finding employment, financial stability, and developing professional expertise, revealing widespread concerns about a competitive academic climate. Suggestions included modifications in professional conduct, the employment and pay structure, and training.
When Women Imbibe
Authors: Monahan Jennifer L. , Murphy Sheila T. , Miller Lynn C.
Published: July 2006

The present research examines how alcohol, or even the illusion of imbibing alcohol, affects women's perceived self-efficacy for avoiding HIV. Women ( N= 82) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 (alcohol or no alcohol) × 2 (expect alcohol or not) balanced placebo design. After consuming alcoholic or nonalcoholic beverages, participants assessed their self-efficacy for HIV risk prevention. Both alcohol consumption and alcohol expectancy increased women's confidence that they could detect whether a potential partner was HIV positive simply by interacting with the potential partner.
Sexual Harassment
Authors: Chan Darius K.-S. , Tang Catherine So-Kum , Chan Wai
Published: July 2006

This study was designed to examine the impact of sexual harassment on Hong Kong Chinese women in the workplace and in college. Questionnaires assessing sexual harassment incidents experienced by self, perceived prevalence of sexual harassment in the organization, job or study satisfaction, and organizational commitment were completed by 77 female secretaries and 84 female college students in Hong Kong. Consistent with our hypotheses, personal experience of sexual harassment was found to be negatively associated with respondent satisfaction with their jobs or studies. However, these experiences were found to be unrelated to organizational commitment. In addition, most of the coping strategies adopted by the harassment victims tended to be nonassertive in nature. As one of the few systematic sexual harassment studies on Chinese working women and female students, we interpret our findings from an indigenous perspective and discuss both theoretical as well as applied implications for research in this area.
The Effects of Ethnicity and Perceived Power on Women's Sexual Behavior
Authors: Soet Johanna E. , Dudley William N. , Dilorio Colleen
Published: July 2006

To aid development of programs to prevent HIV transmission in women, differences in sexual attitudes and behavior were examined among women who described themselves as dominant in their relationship with a male partner, sharing dominance equally with a male partner, or being dominated by a male partner. Ethnic differences were also examined among these three groups. Results indicated that perceived dominance was a significant predictor of women's personal empowerment (self-efficacy and outcome expectancies) with regard to sexual decisionmaking in their current relationship and safer sex behaviors. Ethnic differences were found between African American and White women in personal empowerment and safer sex behavior. Perceived dominance did not appear to affect African American and White women differently.
Antecedent Factors Differentiating Women and Men in Science/Nonscience Careers
Authors: Farmer Helen S. , Wardrop James L. , Rotella Susanne C.
Published: July 2006

Factors that differentiate women and men who choose a science career from those who do not were investigated using longitudinal data from 1980 and 1990. The participants ( N = 459) were ninth or twelfth graders at six midwestern high schools in 1980. Women in science compared to women in other careers were significantly more likely to value math and science for their future career goals, whereas men in science compared to men in other careers had significantly higher high school grade point averages in natural science and higher career aspirations. Not unexpectedly, both women and men in science careers compared to those in nonscience careers took more high school elective science courses because they wanted to, aspired to higher prestige careers as young adults, and attributed their math successes more to their ability. The male model accounted for more than twice the variance accounted for by the female model, and context variables were not predictive for either model. Suggestions for revising the model and improving the assessment of context influences are made. Implications for research and practice include designing and evaluating programs to increase the number of intellectually able girls valuing math and science as these relate to their future goals.
Educating About Women and Gender
Authors: Worell Judith , Stilwell Doris , Oakley Danielle , Robinson Damon
Published: July 2006

This study assesses the multiple effects of planned exposure to gender and women's issues on graduate student development. Students in a gender-aware Counseling Psychology program ( n = 63) were compared to those in two other graduate psychology programs (total n = 38) on five scales that measured exposure to gender issues, social constructivist views, feminist identity development, performance self-esteem, and endorsement of feminist therapy goals and strategies. Results supported the hypotheses that all outcome measures were significantly correlated with the extent of academic experiences related to women and gender. Program of concentration and level of graduate training were differentially related to social construction views and stages of feminist identity development. We discuss these findings in terms of their implications for gender-aware education in the development of student identity, attitudes, and professional practice.