Question 1

Which term matches the following definition: "an internalized sense of being a man or a woman"?

Accepted Answer

Gender identity refers to an internalized sense of being male, female, or somewhere along the spectrum of gender. It is different from biological sex (A) and sexual identity (B), which refer to physical characteristics and attractions, respectively. Self-concept (C) is a broader term that encompasses a person's beliefs, values, and attitudes about themselves in various aspects, including gender identity.

Question 2

Mark identifies as a feminist and believes that women are disadvantaged in the public sphere. He is very involved with rally groups aimed at pressuring the government to fund more subsidized daycare centres. Which feminist perspective has Mark adopted?

Accepted Answer

Mark's belief that women are disadvantaged in the public sphere and his involvement in rally groups aimed at pressuring the government to fund more subsidized daycare centres align with the socialist feminist perspective, which focuses on the intersection of gender and class oppression and advocates for government intervention to address these issues.

Question 3

What are social roles?

Accepted Answer

Social roles refer to the expected behaviors, duties, and responsibilities that people in particular social positions are supposed to perform. These social positions can be based on factors such as age, gender, occupation, family status, and other social identities. Therefore, option D is the correct answer as it explains the definition of social roles accurately.

Question 4

According to the text, which of the following is listed as a dimension of inequality?

Accepted Answer

The text lists power as a dimension of inequality, stating that "inequalities in power can lead to inequalities in economic and social opportunities". Choices B, C, and D are not mentioned as dimensions of inequality in the text.

Question 5

Broverman et al. (1972) report that images of masculinity and femininity were often polarized, emphasizing opposites. Which of the following was a trait associated with women?

Accepted Answer

Broverman et al. (1972) found that women were often stereotypically associated with being illogical, reflecting gender biases of the time.

Question 6

According to sociologists, which of the following statements explains the fact that women in our culture, on average, have long hair, wear makeup, wear skirts, and adorn themselves with jewellery?

Accepted Answer

Sociologists argue that the characteristics associated with femininity, such as long hair, makeup, skirts, and jewelry, are not innate but socially constructed. These gender norms and expectations are learned through socialization and vary across cultures and time periods. Therefore, it is not natural or biological for women to have these traits, but rather a product of societal values and beliefs about femininity.

Question 7

Ana is a stay-at-home mother and is very embarrassed in social settings when the inevitable "What do you do?" question arises. What reason could be given to explain her distress?

Accepted Answer

Society often places little value on the work of stay-at-home parents, and Ana may be aware of this and feel embarrassed or ashamed when questioned about her role as a mother.

Question 8

A high-school class is debating social inequality, and a female student declares herself a feminist and states, "The root of inequality between men and women is male domination." Which feminist perspective does this statement echo?

Accepted Answer

The answer of A high-school class is debating social inequality,...

Question 9

A young woman becomes emotionally distraught upon being told the family pet has died. She gets teary-eyed and her boyfriend defends her emotionality to his teasing male friends as "part of being a woman." Which of the following terms best characterizes his statement?

Accepted Answer

The statement made by the boyfriend is an example of gender stereotyping because it assumes that emotional reactions are linked to gender, implying that women are naturally more emotional than men. This reinforces societal expectations and norms regarding gender roles and behaviors.

Question 10

Mathew came home stressed and exhausted after a long day at the office. His wife cooked him dinner and helped him reduce his stress so he could get a good night's sleep. The next morning he was ready to face the day. What feminist theory could use this example as the basis to argue women's unequal position in our society?

Accepted Answer

Marxist feminism could use this example to argue that women's unpaid domestic labor, such as cooking and providing emotional support, contributes to the capitalist system by maintaining the workforce (in this case, Mathew) without compensation, highlighting women's unequal position in society.

Question 11

What view of society is reflected in the statement, "Women should be home raising the children"?

Accepted Answer

The statement reflects a patriarchal view, which places men in a position of power and authority over women and reinforces traditional gender roles where women are expected to focus on domestic responsibilities such as raising children.

Question 12

A young woman working at a minimum-wage job has trouble paying her rent, and sells some of her possessions; later her power is shut off, and eventually she gets evicted and lives on the street. What component of her life is the core of her disadvantage?

Accepted Answer

The core of the woman's disadvantage is her lack of material well-being, as indicated by her inability to pay rent, sell off possessions, and eventually become homeless. While factors such as worker exploitation and social inequality may contribute to this lack of material well-being, they are not the central issue in this scenario. Resource deprivation may also play a role, but it is not as directly related to the woman's housing situation as her lack of material resources.

Question 13

When Anita was born, her parents looked at her and said, "There is the face of a future prime minister." Fifty years ago people may have been surprised by that statement. Today, however, the fact that a baby girl might be considered a future leader of the country reflects a development in our society. What is it?

Accepted Answer

The statement suggests that the society has moved towards changing gender roles, where women are no longer seen as inferior or incapable of being future leaders.

Question 14

Gail, a female public school teacher, has the same experience and credentials as a male counterpart and the two compete for a principal's job. The male teacher gets the job, and Gail notices that most of the schools in her district have male principals, whereas most of the school board's employees are female. According to sociologists, what does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Gail, a female public school teacher, has...

Question 15

When measuring social inequality between groups, one must take into account the asymmetrical distribution of one of the following factors. Which one is it?

Accepted Answer

Measures of social inequality take into account the unequal distribution of certain resources or factors among different groups. Prestige, or the level of respect and admiration given to someone by others in society, is a key factor in measuring social inequality. Some groups may have more prestige than others, which can lead to unequal access to opportunities and resources. Therefore, when measuring social inequality, it is important to consider the asymmetrical distribution of prestige.

Question 16

The television show "The Simpsons" features Lisa (the intelligent and well-behaved daughter) and Bart (the naughty and playful son) as children of Marge the homemaker and Homer the breadwinner. What is this television show reinforcing?

Accepted Answer

The television show "The Simpsons" reinforces gender-based stereotypes by portraying Lisa as intelligent and well-behaved, while Bart is portrayed as naughty and playful. This perpetuates the idea that girls should be good and studious, while boys can misbehave and be playful.

Question 17

What term is used to refer to the cause and nature of women's disadvantages and subordination in society?

Accepted Answer

The term used to refer to the cause and nature of women's disadvantages and subordination in society is patriarchy. Feminism is the movement to combat patriarchy and promote gender equality. Socialism and liberalism are political ideologies that may support feminist goals, but are not specifically focused on gender issues.

Question 18

A stylish feminist on a blind date is told that she is very feminine and delicate, and her date couldn't imagine her in a male-dominated occupation. On their next date, he is humbled when she shows up in her police uniform, and she tells him, "It's those kinds of misconceptions that keep women down." What kind of feminist is the policewoman?

Accepted Answer

The policewoman is likely a liberal feminist, as she believes in equal opportunities for women in male-dominated fields and dismantling misconceptions about gender roles. Radical feminists may take a more extreme approach and reject traditional gender roles entirely, while Marxist and multiracial feminists focus on issues beyond just gender inequality.

Question 19

According to the text, which of the following is an important source of material well-being?

Accepted Answer

The text states that "material well-being is largely a function of work-related earnings or wealth." This suggests that having a source of income through work is the most important factor for achieving material well-being. Prestige, inheritance, and power are not mentioned as important sources of material well-being in the text.

Question 20

Many magazine photographs and advertisements show teenage girls grooming themselves-such as putting on makeup, trying on half a dozen outfits-and generally worrying about their appearance, but very few show teenage boys doing these things. What term is given to this depiction of female and male behaviour?

Accepted Answer

Gender stereotypes refer to the socially constructed ideas about the typical roles, behaviors, and characteristics expected of men and women in society. The depiction of teenage girls grooming themselves in photographs and advertisements represents a gender stereotype of women being overly concerned with their appearance, whereas teenage boys are not expected to engage in the same behaviors.

Quiz 7: Gender Inequality