Deck 8: Gender

Question 1

Which of the following examples calls into question the two firm categories of sex and gender that dominate our thinking?

A) the notion that men and women are equals
B) the existence of male and female teams in sports
C) the existence of more than two gender groups in other cultures
D) the existence of gender stereotypes

Answer 1

C

Question 2

John Gray,author of Men Are from Mars,Women Are from Venus (1992),takes the position that the different temperaments,emotions,and languages of males and females are rooted in:

A) environmental circumstances.
B) natural differences.
C) socialization.
D) power differences.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to intersex activists,why do parents and surgeons push to assign a sex to a genitally ambiguous child?

A) The government requires a sex on the birth certificate.
B) Psychological studies show that mothers require children with definite sexes.
C) The need to assign a gender-appropriate name.
D) Social discomfort and fear of difference.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

A researcher studies the effects of gender by comparing people's experiences before undergoing sex changes and then again after their sex changes (e.g.,like the Donald to Deirdre case).The researcher uses a statistical technique called individual fixed effects,which involves:

A) comparing outcomes to determine cause and effect.
B) comparing an outcome across space,in two different places.
C) comparing an outcome across time without altering any factors.
D) comparing an outcome across time as some factor changes.

Question 5

While the notion of sex refers to biological characteristics,the concept of gender refers to ________ characteristics.

A) psychological
B) physical
C) philosophical
D) social

Question 6

Alain's daughter wears dresses,plays with dolls,and likes to pretend she is a princess.Alain does not think society has influenced her preferences or games at all.He views his daughter as evidence that human behavior is determined by genes and hormones.Which term best describes Alain's views?

A) dimorphism
B) the binary system
C) biological determinism
D) essentialism

Question 7

Many people believe sex to be an either/or situation (either male or female),but sociologists believe these pure categories are:

A) distinctly different.
B) strictly biological.
C) not biologically absolute but socially helpful.
D) more of an ideal than an absolute.

Question 8

A sociologist studies the family dynamics of Marie,a transgender woman who was raised as a boy named Max.The sociologist notices Marie's father "deadnaming" her.What is he doing?

A) repeatedly saying,"You are dead to me"
B) refusing to speak to her,using silence to imply that his son Max is dead
C) calling her "Max" even though she wants to be called "Marie"
D) refusing to use a name or pronouns when he speaks to Marie

Question 9

Gender structures social relationships between people unequally.This is a statement that would be supported by which group?

A) feminists
B) capitalists
C) teachers
D) the general population

Question 10

If we apply the sociological imagination to sex,gender,and sexuality,we might argue that:

A) men and women are different biological organisms,and these differences manifest themselves in the ways men and women behave.
B) the social patterns we see highlight natural differences between men and women,differences that set men and women on different pathways from birth.
C) men and women are at opposite ends of the psychological continuum,which leads them to have distinct styles of communicating,feeling,and acting.
D) although biological differences exist between men and women,what we make of those differences is socially constructed and has changed through time and place.

Question 11

An essentialist would argue which of the following for why women outnumber men in occupations that involve caring?

A) Gender establishes different cultures and expectations for men and women.
B) Women are socialized to seek out occupations that involve caring.
C) Women find occupations that involve caring more suitable to their nature.
D) Men avoid caretaking jobs,considering them "women's work."

Question 12

In the one-sex model,it was believed that both a man's and a woman's orgasm were required for conception.When the two-sex model gained momentum,women and men were viewed as radically different creatures,and the female orgasm became viewed as:

A) crucial for conception.
B) unnecessary.
C) harmful.
D) a myth.

Question 13

John Gray's book Men Are from Mars,Women Are from Venus was a number-one best seller for more than a decade.Which of the following is one of the reasons his book has been so popular?

A) The book makes academic sociological perspectives easier to grasp.
B) People had never thought about the differences between men and women before reading the book.
C) People wanted to use information in the book to challenge gender stereotypes.
D) It offers the appeal of easy-to-grasp,commonsense generalizations.

Question 14

Judith Lorber believes that gender is a social institution because it is:

A) within an institution (hospital)that our gender first emerges.
B) a social construction instead of a biological construction.
C) a major structure organizing our day-to-day experiences.
D) an all-encompassing social norm that controls individuals.

Question 15

Which of the following situations provides an example of how the social categories of gender influence the biology of sex?

A) parents who refuse to let their three-year-old son paint his fingernails
B) how people react differently to two women who hold hands in public versus two men who hold hands in public
C) the decision to perform sex reassignment surgery on a male infant born with a micropenis (e.g.,a phallus measuring less than 2 centimeters in length)and raise the baby as a female
D) how a one-sex model of human bodies dominated thinking among ancient Greeks,but a two-sex model dominates current Western biological thought

Question 16

Feminist philosopher Elizabeth Grosz proposed that we view the relationship between sex (the natural)and gender (the social)as existing on a Möbius strip because:

A) sex comes before gender and dictates behavior.
B) you can separate sex and gender into two distinct entities.
C) sex and gender are two sides of the same coin and are thus inseparable.
D) it is easier to siphon out the effects of each in this way.

Question 17

Which of the following is one of the reasons why sociologists view gender as a social construction rather than a biological given?

A) Contemporary studies show us that men and women have different personality structures,the innate by-product of existing social structural relations.
B) There are no social or biological differences between men and women.
C) Societies in various historical periods have not made any distinction between different genders.
D) Our understandings of,categorizations of,and behaviors toward what it means to be a man or woman have changed throughout history.

Question 18

In our society,many people take for granted that sex has only two categories and tend to ignore facts that suggest sex itself is socially constructed.Which of the following is an outcome of this sexual dichotomization?

A) viewing sexual variation as a part of our diversity as a species
B) the exclusion of those who don't fit neatly into one category or the other
C) the common belief that a person's genitalia do not always correspond to a person's gender
D) the assumption that gender is fluid

Question 19

Race,birth order,generational cohort,sex,and parental wealth are key sociological variables that are said to resist fixed effects because they:

A) can't be changed.
B) don't change over time.
C) are constantly changing.
D) are so difficult to inspect.

Question 20

After a traumatic accident,a male baby is left with a micropenis that is badly damaged.Based on the case of David Reimer,what would likely be most helpful?

A) Doctors should decide,and even when he's older,the baby should never be informed.
B) The baby should be surgically reassigned as a female and raised as a girl.
C) The baby should be raised as a boy and should participate in medical decision making in age-appropriate ways.
D) No predictions can be made because each case is so individual.

Question 21

Angie writes a college paper about the origins of patriarchy.Following Gayle Rubin's theory closely,she argues that:

A) trading women as property gave men certain rights over their female kin.
B) sex role theory places women in a subordinate position.
C) girls develop subordinate psychologies due to their relationships with their mothers.
D) testosterone makes men more dominant.

Question 22

According to Michelle Rosaldo's theory,regardless of time or culture,women tend to be associated with ________ and men tend to be associated with ________.

A) emotion; rationality
B) the domestic sphere; the public sphere
C) children; adults
D) being owned; ownership

Question 23

Similar to hegemonic masculinity,social problems that exist within a dominant group in a society tend to be:

A) highly visible and therefore cause for concern.
B) invisible because they are regarded as the norm.
C) not cause for questioning for sociologists,as they undermine the social order.
D) highly funded and therefore easier to solve.

Question 24

Bob and Sue paint their baby's room pink as soon as they find out they are having a girl.They are beginning to provide the baby with what?

A) self-awareness
B) class markers
C) a deadname
D) her gendered identity

Question 25

Alfred Kinsey's 1948 study,Sexual Behavior in the Human Male,is important because:

A) it viewed sexuality as falling on a continuum,thus challenging the psychiatric claim of homosexuality as abnormal.
B) it viewed the sexual behavior of men as more deviant than what was initially thought,lending support to the psychiatric diagnosis of homosexuality as perverse.
C) sexual topics became taboo for the first time in history.
D) it increased funding to researchers interested in studying the sexual practices of other deviant subcultures.

Question 26

Which of the following would be considered a positive trait or characteristic for a man within today's hegemonic masculinity?

A) sexual fluidity
B) nurturing
C) a love of sports
D) emotional sensitivity

Question 27

By looking at anthropological findings in tribal societies,sociologists can see fluidity in gender,which helps us see that the boundaries within our own system of gender:

A) are biologically fixed.
B) may not be stable.
C) are emotionally guided.
D) are psychologically established.

Question 28

Sociologist Cynthia Fuchs Epstein argues that deceptive distinctions are those sex differences that arise out of the roles individuals occupy rather than from some innate force.Which of the following is an example of deceptive distinctions?

A) a woman who is a nurse but does not behave in nurturing and emotive ways
B) a man who is a Supreme Court judge and behaves in nurturing and emotive ways
C) a boy who is a football player and acts fearless and bold
D) a girl who is a cheerleader and acts unanimated and unenthusiastic

Question 29

In Navajo tribes,there are three genders.Which of the following is their third gender category?

A) feminine
B) hijra
C) nadle
D) masculine

Question 30

Janet Lever found that boys and girls played differently on the playground.In comparison to boys,girls tended to:

A) play games that don't involve balls.
B) play more competitive,rule-intensive games.
C) play more cooperative and people-based games.
D) have more rules governing notions of fairness.

Question 31

Lou is a man who was raised as a girl.What would Amos Mac predict about how Lou will tell his life narrative? Lou will describe:

A) a childhood sense of living in the "wrong" body.
B) a "before and after" story that shifts from girl to boy.
C) an individualized narrative specific only to Lou.
D) a narrative missing many episodes due to traumatic memory loss.

Question 32

Use Paula England's research to predict what incoming college students will find on campus.

A) a culture of hooking up
B) a norm of alcohol influencing sexual encounters
C) a culture of dating
D) a culture of technology-mediated friendships and romantic partnerships

Question 33

Feminist psychoanalyst Nancy Chodorow believes that if men share mothering with women,then:

A) marital sexual happiness will be enhanced.
B) parental identification will be confusing.
C) egalitarian relationships will be possible.
D) there will be more family conflict.

Question 34

Sexuality refers to desire,sexual preference,sexual identity,and behavior.Which of the following is true about sexuality?

A) There is little variation in how humans have sex and what it means to them.
B) There is enormous variation in how humans have sex and what it means to them.
C) Before 1850,people did not engage in homosexual behaviors.
D) In all societies,homosexual behavior is stigmatized and unaccepted.

Question 35

For the Sambia,taking in semen of older men by performing fellatio is the only way to:

A) become great warriors.
B) become successful hunters.
C) become real men.
D) compensate for a failed hunt.

Question 36

Amos Mac is a man who was raised as a girl.Which of the following describes Amos Mac's self-description? He:

A) always felt like an adult man,even when he was a child.
B) is comfortable in his own skin and doesn't fully resonate with either "man" or "woman."
C) is at peace with himself but sometimes worries about how strangers perceive him.
D) is comfortable in his mind but still struggles to come to terms with his body.

Question 37

Which of the following is one main reason why a Navajo person would identify as nadle? The person:

A) was born with ambiguous genitalia.
B) has sexual feelings toward people of the same sex.
C) was shamed with the stigma of divorce.
D) was bodily altered by sacrificial emasculation.

Question 38

Which of the following aligns with the arguments of black feminism?

A) The experiences of women are universal,regardless of race.
B) Black women face unique oppressions that white women,and even black men,do not.
C) All women are faced with the same hegemonic masculinity.
D) Black women deserve more help from the white feminist movement.

Question 39

Anthropologist Michelle Rosaldo believed women were usually lower in the stratification system because of their identification with:

A) prostitution.
B) emotional awareness.
C) lower-paying jobs.
D) domestic life.

Question 40

A man who commits a homosexual act within prison:

A) generally takes on a homosexual identity.
B) does not necessarily view himself as a homosexual.
C) is viewed by all the other prisoners as having a homosexual identity.
D) sees himself as powerless.

Question 41

Jobs that have been feminized,such as teaching or secretarial work,are also referred to as:

A) powder-puff jobs.
B) pink-collar jobs.
C) girls' clubs.
D) white-collar jobs.

Question 42

Choose one of the following: the nadle in Navajo society or the hijra in India.How does this group function as a third gender in its society? What are some of the benefits and challenges of this social role? How do third genders,in general,challenge traditional notions of sex and gender?

Question 43

Em is a genderqueer individual who wants to be referred to as "ze" at college.Given today's policy environment,which is most likely? Em's college:

A) may or may not have a policy for honoring student choices beyond traditional gender categories.
B) does not have a policy for this situation.Policy change is happening first in K-12 education and hasn't yet reached higher education.
C) has a policy for honoring student gender choice because nearly all colleges have freely chosen to develop such policies.
D) has a policy for honoring student gender choice because the Supreme Court has mandated that all colleges do so.

Question 44

Although women now outnumber men in terms of college enrollment,men still dominate which fields?

A) sociology and math
B) math and physics
C) educational leadership
D) sociology and economics

Question 45

In his book The History of Sexuality (1978),Michel Foucault contends that the classification of homosexuality as a kind of deviance was a result of:

A) a sudden increase in the number of individuals practicing homosexual behavior.
B) people not talking about sex as openly as they used to.
C) the rise in gay pride and advocacy for same-sex marriage.
D) government bureaucrats attempting to assert their power over people.

Question 46

In Brazil,gender is determined by:

A) sexual practice.
B) anatomy.
C) femininity and masculinity.
D) biology.

Question 47

Anthropologist Don Kulick (1998)conducted an ethnography of the transgender prostitutes in Brazil,known as travesti.Which of the following did he find to be true?

A) The travesti display stereotypically feminine traits and identify themselves as women.
B) The travesti think of themselves as men who emulate women but are not women.
C) The travesti think of themselves as male,even if they allow themselves to be penetrated by other men.
D) The travesti identify themselves simply as men and are identified by other Brazilians as "normal men."

Question 48

Why does hegemonic masculinity often seem invisible? Why do men who fit with hegemonic masculinity sometimes see themselves as under attack by feminists? In your opinion,will tensions between hegemonic masculinity and feminism reduce over time,or become more intense? Why?

Question 49

When examining the woman question,why is it important to include the intersection of sexual orientation,race,class,nationality,ability,and other factors? Choose two of these factors and offer an example (real-world or hypothetical)of how they matter in a woman's daily experience.

Question 50

When token men enter feminized jobs,they enjoy a quicker rise to leadership positions.This is referred to as the:

A) glass ceiling.
B) glass escalator.
C) glass wall.
D) glass elevator.

Question 51

In the classroom,compared to boys,girls:

A) are expected to be better at reading.
B) interrupt the other sex more often.
C) are expected to be better at math.
D) are called on more in class.

Question 52

People in our society often focus on differences between men and women.Cynthia Fuchs Epstein argues that what we perceive as difference is often a "deceptive distinction." Offer an example of a deceptive distinction and explain why it is deceptive.In your view,is it possible for a person to view gender differences accurately,or are we always under the spell of deceptive distinctions? Why?

Question 53

It is argued in your text that gender structures social relationships by giving men the advantage in society.As a result,which of the following is LEAST likely to happen?

A) When women enter male-dominated occupations,they may hit a glass ceiling.
B) When men enter female-dominated occupations,they are encouraged to advance on the glass escalator.
C) When men enter female-dominated occupations,they often become victims of sexual harassment.
D) When women enter male-dominated occupations,they often become victims of sexual harassment.

Question 54

It is 2013,and Isaac is an incoming college student.Sociological research surrounding the data presented in this chart would predict what outcome for Isaac? He will likely:

A) major in a traditionally female field in order to benefit from minority status.
B) major in finance or engineering and ultimately out earn his female classmates.
C) experience equality with women in prestige and income.
D) take longer to finish his college degree than most of his female peers.

Question 55

Until 1973,the American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association listed homosexuality as:

A) a leading symptom of schizophrenia.
B) a disorder of family dynamics.
C) a natural state.
D) a mental disorder.

Question 56

What is "the woman question"? Explain the woman question from a functional perspective and a feminist perspective.What are some limitations of these perspectives?

Question 57

Explain why John Gray's book Men Are from Mars,Women Are from Venus may be considered essentialist.How might a sociologist view the same phenomenon?

Question 58

Which group argues that sexuality in America is an expression of the unequal power balance between men and women?

A) Marxist feminists
B) symbolic interactionists
C) psychoanalysts
D) postmodernists