Gender: Psychological Perspectives

by Linda Brannon

Presents research about gender and helps students think critically about the differences between research findings and gender stereotypes. This text examines the biology and social context in which women and men express gendered behaviors. Defining gender as the behaviors and attitudes that relate to (but are not entirely congruent with) biological sex, the book focuses on research and scholarship to provide the material for a critical review and an overall picture of gender from a psychological perspective. To highlight how research findings can relate to people’s lives, the book supplements the review of scholarly research with personal, narrative accounts of gender-relevant aspects of people's lives. To emphasize the cross-cultural perspective of gender, the book including a section on diversity in most chapters but also weaves diversity issues throughout the text. The personal narrative and diversity highlights help to balance the research-based scholarship with the personal experience of gender.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, School, Gender, Sociology, Feminism

539 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2010

Reviews

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am currently reading this book for one of my classes. I like the book I just wish that there were less references in between the readings, hard to get the idea with so much bibliogrophy info in between the facts . It is hard to absorb myself in the information because of all the breaks. While I do understand that plagarism is unacceptable, and this form of referencing is necessary in research, I still wish there was less of it breaking through my train of thought while following the concepts.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As far as textbooks go, it seems to be very thorough and to use a lot of research to back up the information that it presents. I think this is a very good comprehensive text on the psychology of gender. It is also interesting to read and takes diversity issues into account along with gender issues.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, relatively neutral discussion of the over-polarization of the male and female stereotypical characters. However, the author perpetuates the idea of gender as a binary concept, delivering a blow to the efforts to accurately depict modern concepts of gender.