Question 1

Currently, about ___ percent of college-educated brides do not take their husband's last name.

Accepted Answer

According to a recent study by The New York Times, approximately 20 percent of college-educated brides choose to keep their maiden name or use a hyphenated version of their last name after marriage.

Question 2

Women who prefer to use the title Ms. are often perceived as:

Accepted Answer

Women who prefer to use the title Ms. are often perceived as unmarried (A), as the title does not indicate their marital status. However, research has also shown that women who choose the title Ms. are perceived as more agentic (B), or independent and self-directed, than traditionally titled women. This is because the Ms. title is often associated with feminism and a rejection of patriarchal norms. Some research has also found that women who choose the title Ms. are perceived as less communal (C), or less focused on building relationships and caring for others than traditionally titled women. Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 3

Which woman is most likely to choose a nonconventional surname when she marries?

Accepted Answer

Women with higher levels of education, such as those with doctoral degrees, are more likely to choose nonconventional surnames, as they have established themselves professionally and may place more importance on their own personal identity rather than taking their husband's name.

Question 4

Ann Hopkins filed a lawsuit against Price Waterhouse asserting that her promotion for partnership was denied on the basis of her gender. Price Waterhouse criticized her for all of the following except:

Accepted Answer

Ann Hopkins' lawsuit against Price Waterhouse did not involve criticism of her for having few billable hours. The criticisms were related to gender stereotypes and perceptions of her personal style and appearance, not her work performance in terms of billable hours.

Question 5

Which of the following is not true of Ann Hopkins' legal battle?

Accepted Answer

Ann Hopkins won her case against Price Waterhouse, which was a landmark decision regarding gender discrimination in the workplace. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor, leading to her becoming a partner and receiving financial compensation.

Question 6

Ann Hopkins' case is an example of:

Accepted Answer

The backlash effect refers to negative reactions towards people who challenge traditional gender roles or stereotypes. Ann Hopkins' case involved her being denied partnership in an accounting firm due to not being seen as fitting the traditional image of a female employee, thereby invoking a backlash effect.

Question 7

A recent study of 600 teenage girls of varied socioeconomic and ethnic background reported:

Accepted Answer

The study reported that one-half of the girls heard discouraging, sexist comments about their science, math or athletic abilities, three-fourths of the girls received disparaging remarks about their athletic or sports involvement, and teachers and fathers were a frequent source of discouraging remarks about girls' academic ability. Therefore, all of the options are correct.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a woman's sexist experience?

Accepted Answer

All of the given options are examples of sexist experiences that some women may have faced. A is an example of stereotypes about women's abilities, B is a form of discrimination where women are unfairly treated in employment, and C is an example of misogyny and belittling behavior towards women.

Question 9

Brian believes that gender discrimination is no longer a problem in society. Therefore, he does not support policies such as affirmative action that aim to overcome unequal treatment. Brian's attitude best reflects:

Accepted Answer

Brian's attitude is an example of modern sexism, which involves the belief that gender discrimination is no longer a problem and that women are now equal to men. This attitude often leads to opposition to policies aimed at promoting gender equality, such as affirmative action. Hostile sexism involves overtly negative attitudes towards women, while benevolent sexism involves paternalistic and patronizing attitudes towards women. Ambivalent sexism involves a mix of both hostile and benevolent attitudes towards women.

Question 10

Both hostile and benevolent sexism:

Accepted Answer

Both hostile and benevolent sexism convey the message that women are weaker than men, serving to justify and uphold patriarchal social systems and maintain a power imbalance between men and women.

Question 11

Recent research indicates that _____ sexism actually has a more harmful effect on women's performance on cognitive tasks than does _____ sexism.

Accepted Answer

Recent studies have shown that benevolent sexism, which may appear positive or protective on the surface, can be more undermining and harmful to women's cognitive performance compared to hostile sexism, which is overtly negative and aggressive. This is because benevolent sexism subtly reinforces traditional gender roles and stereotypes, potentially lowering self-esteem and self-efficacy among women.

Question 12

Ambivalent sexism refers to the combination of:

Accepted Answer

Benevolent sexism and hostile sexism are two components of ambivalent sexism. Benevolent sexism includes beliefs that women are pure, delicate, and in need of protection and support from men. Hostile sexism includes hostile and antagonistic attitudes toward women, such as the belief that women are inferior and should be controlled by men. Ambivalent sexism reflects the coexistence of both benevolent and hostile attitudes towards women in our society.

Question 13

Dwayne was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. He has shared this information with his father but has decided to withhold the diagnosis from his mother for as long as possible. Dwayne thinks his mother would be unable to deal with the situation and he wants to shield her from pain. Dwayne's attitude best reflects:

Accepted Answer

Dwayne's decision to withhold the diagnosis from his mother is an example of benevolent sexism, which is when a person adopts paternalistic attitudes towards another group and sees them as weaker or in need of protection. Dwayne is motivated by a desire to protect his mother from pain, but in doing so, he is denying her the opportunity to come to terms with the situation and provide support to her son.

Question 14

Cross-cultural research on ambivalent sexism showed that:

Accepted Answer

Research in multiple countries has shown that countries with greater gender inequality tend to have higher levels of sexism. Additionally, across countries, men tend to endorse more hostile sexism than women do. Therefore, both options B and C are correct. The first option is not supported by research, as studies have found a positive correlation between hostile and benevolent sexism. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 15

Which of the following is not true of media portrayals of women and men?

Accepted Answer

Overrepresentation of female characters with both family and paid work responsibilities is not true of media portrayals of women and men. In fact, women with these dual roles are often underrepresented or portrayed negatively in the media.

Question 16

Currently, nearly equal numbers of females and males appear as central characters in:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that in recent years, children's picture books have made progress in portraying gender equality, with almost equal numbers of male and female central characters. However, the same progress has not been seen in Saturday morning cartoons or TV commercials, which still tend to portray males as the dominant and most active characters.

Question 17

Compared to 30 years ago, modern children's school textbooks:

Accepted Answer

While there has been progress in reducing gender bias in modern children's school textbooks, studies have found that basic readers and math materials still tend to feature more male characters than female characters. Therefore, both options A and B are correct.

Question 18

Which of the following groups of individuals is least likely to be seen on television?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that Asian Americans, especially women, are often underrepresented or stereotyped on television. Thus, they are the least likely to be seen on television out of the options given.

Question 19

Which of the following statements regarding the portrayal of ethnic minority women in the media is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

While Asian American women are often featured in popular media, this does not necessarily translate to advertising, where they are actually under-represented. Similarly, while ethnic minority women are over-represented in some types of ads (such as those for cosmetics), they are under-represented in others (such as those for luxury goods). However, research has shown that Latinas are indeed often portrayed in low-status occupations in the media, perpetuating harmful stereotypes.

Question 20

In animated Disney films, older women often are portrayed as:

Accepted Answer

Older women in animated Disney films are often portrayed as evil, such as the Evil Queen in "Snow White" or Maleficent in "Sleeping Beauty."

Quiz 2: Cultural Representation of Gender