Syllabus Gender Fall 2020 PDF

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Psychology of Gender Course Gender Studies 3301/Psychology 3324-001 Professor Karen Prager Term Fall, 2020: August 18-December 8, 2020 Tuesday and Thursday, 10-11:15 a.m. Meetings Classes will meet through Blackboard Collaborate.

Professor Contact Information Professor Karen Prager Office Phone I’m not checking office phone this fall. Cell Phone 214-724-3616; text or leave phone message. Please leave your name with texts or phone calls so I know you’re not spam. [email protected] Email Address Office Location Karen Prager’s Webex Room: https://utdallas.webex.com/meet/kprager 1-855-244-8681 Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada) 1-650-479-3207 Call-in number (US/Canada) Access code: 921 649 122 Online Office Hours Thursday, 11:30-1:00 Teaching Intern Cell Phone Email Address Office Location

Amanda Ford 210-471-8560 [email protected] Amanda Ford's Webex Room: https://utdallas-student.webex.com/meet/acf170330 1339398875; Access code: 133 939 8875

Online Office Hours

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

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Course Modality and Expectations Instructional All instruction and testing will be online. Mode

Course Platform

This course will be delivered via Blackboard Collaborate. Find the Blackboard Collaborate function in the course’s ELearning page, in the lefthand column of links. Click on Blackboard Collaborate, and you will find a list of classtimes with dates. I will hold classes in the “rooms” with the corresponding date throughout the semester.

Expectations

Students are expected to attend the class during its “live” hour (10-11:30 a.m.) unless you have an unavoidable conflict. Talk to me personally if you must attend the class asynchronously for a significant number of classes this fall. All classes and tests will be offered online as will office hours. You are expected to keep a journal over a minimum of 3 of the class readings. You will also take 3 objective tests, each over one third of the course. The tests will be made available through eLearning.

Asynchronou s Learning Guidelines

Students who must attend this class asynchronously are welcome to enroll. Recorded lectures will be available via Microsoft Stream. For more information, check this web link at: https://www.utdallas.edu/fall-2020/asynchronous-accessfor-fall-2020/

COVID-19 Guidelines and Resources COVID-19 Latest Campus Updates: check frequently Fall 2020 FAQ: check out the FAQs and reach out to your instructor or academic advisor if answers are not included. These questions and answers are for people who will be on campus at any time over the Fall, 2020 semester. They do not apply to Psychology of Gender, as we will conduct our entire course online, but will be helpful to those of you who will be attending other classes that will have meetings on campus. Student Resources: a variety of resources are available to help students during this unprecedented pandemic. Class Participation Regular class participation is expected regardless of course modality. Students who fail to participate in class regularly are inviting scholastic difficulty. A portion of the grade for this course is directly tied to your participation in this class. It also includes engaging in group or other activities during class that solicit your feedback on homework assignments, readings, or materials covered in the lectures. Class participation is documented by faculty. Successful participation is defined as consistently adhering to University requirements, as presented in this syllabus. Failure to comply with these University requirements is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. _______________________________________________________ Class Recordings Students are expected to follow appropriate University policies and maintain the security of passwords used to access recorded lectures. Unless the Office of Student AccessAbility has approved Online/Blended Course Syllabus

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the student to record the instruction, students are expressly prohibited from recording any part of this course. Recordings may not be published, reproduced, or shared with those not in the class, or uploaded to other online environments except to implement an approved Office of Student AccessAbility accommodation. Failure to comply with these University requirements is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. I plan to record meetings of this course. Any recordings will be available to all students registered for this class as they are intended to supplement the classroom experience. Students are expected to follow appropriate University policies and maintain the security of passwords used to access recorded lectures. Unless the Office of Student AccessAbility has approved the student to record the instruction, students are expressly prohibited from recording any part of this course. Recordings may not be published, reproduced, or shared with those not in the class, or uploaded to other online environments except to implement an approved Office of Student AccessAbility accommodation. If the instructor or a UTD school/department/office plans any other uses for the recordings, consent of the students identifiable in the recordings is required prior to such use unless an exception is allowed by law. Failure to comply with these University requirements is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. ________________________________________________________________ Class Materials I will provide class materials on the Blackboard site for our course, as they are intended to supplement our classroom experience. These materials may be downloaded during the course, however, these materials are for registered students' use only. Classroom materials may not be reproduced or shared with those not in class or uploaded to other online environments except to implement an approved Office of Student AccessAbility accommodation. Failure to comply with these University requirements is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions None Course Description What makes a man? What makes a woman? Do we all fit neatly into one of these two categories? Even if we don’t, what can the biology and psychology of gender teach us about the significance and practical usefulness of these categories? With a specific focus on the psychological experience of being a woman, a man, or transgender/non-binary we will investigate the development of gender roles and identities over the life span, stereotypic conceptions of masculinity and femininity and their impact on our concepts of self and on our life choices. Especially relevant, what is the significance of being male, female, non-binary or transgender for our close relationships? Do we bring different perspectives to love and intimacy as a result of gender-related experiences growing up in the United States?

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

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Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes 1. The overarching theme of our course is this: Myths and stereotypes about what it means to be male or female or transgender or non-binary, psychologically speaking, abound in all cultures. How much veracity can we find in these myths and stereotypes? Do they contain a kernal of truth, or are they politically motivated constructions to maintain an (im)balance of power and privilege between women and men? Can psychological investigations help us to address this question, the big question in the study of gender? Our first objective is to separate myth from empirically grounded fact about gender. 2. Our second purpose is to compare and contrast three sets of explanations for why women (girls) and men (boys) are similar or different from each other. What are the forces that shape gender-related behavior, attitudes, and identities? How do previous findings about cis-gender individuals apply to transgender individuals & other minorities? Required Textbooks and Materials Required Texts 1) Gender: Psychological Perspectives, 7th edition, by Linda Brannon (Allyn & Bacon). (“BRANNON”). ISBN-10: 1138182346 2) Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Gender, 9th Edition, by Elizabeth Schroeder (McGraw-Hill) (“TAKING SIDES”). ISBN 9781260571912, 3) Readings in the Psychology of Gender: Exploring Our Differences and Commonalities, by Anne E. Hunter & Carie Forden (Allyn & Bacon). (“Readings”). ISBN-13: 978-0205305940 4) Articles posted on ELEARNING ("Readings on ELEARNING"). 5) Our American Psychological Association class ID: 317696 Textbooks and some other bookstore materials can be ordered online or purchased through the UT Dallas Bookstore. Technical Requirements In addition to a confident level of computer and Internet literacy, certain minimum technical requirements must be met to enable a successful learning experience. Please review the important technical requirements on the Getting Started with eLearning webpage. Course Access and Navigation This course can be accessed using your UT Dallas NetID account on the eLearning website. Please see the course access and navigation section of the Getting Started with eLearning webpage for more information. To become familiar with the eLearning tool, please see the Student eLearning Tutorials webpage. UT Dallas provides eLearning technical support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The eLearning Support Center includes a toll-free telephone number for immediate assistance (1-866-588-3192), email request service, and an online chat service. Please let me (your instructor) know if you encounter a dead or inaccessible link anywhere in the course.

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

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Communication This course utilizes online tools for interaction and communication. We will use your UTD email and WEBEX to meet with you online face-to-face during the semester. For more details, please visit the Student eLearning Tutorials webpage for video demonstrations on eLearning tools. Student emails and discussion board messages will be answered within 3 working days under normal circumstances. Distance Learning Student Resources Online students have access to resources including the McDermott Library, Academic Advising, The Office of Student Access-Ability, and many others. Please see the eLearning Current Students webpage for more information. Server Unavailability or Other Technical Difficulties The University is committed to providing a reliable learning management system to all users. However, in the event of any unexpected server outage or any unusual technical difficulty which prevents students from completing a time sensitive assessment activity, the instructor will provide an appropriate accommodation based on the situation. Students should immediately report any problems to the instructor and also contact the online eLearning Help Desk. The instructor and the eLearning Help Desk will work with the student to resolve any issues at the earliest possible time. Academic Calendar Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Aug. 18

Introduction: Why this Course?

Syllabus & Course Objectives

Aug. 20

What is the history of the study of gender in psychology? How does it contribute to where we are now?

Brannon, Chapter 1

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Assessment

Question for journal entry: What are the advantages and disadvantages of calling this course Psychology of Gender vs. Psychology of Women?

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Assessment

Aug. 25

How do we study the psychology of gender? Is it possible to overcome researcher bias?

1. BRANNON, Chapter 2; 2. Reading on eLEARNING, “The Egg & the Sperm”

Question for journal entry: The authors of the OB/GYN textbook that Emily Martin critiques were certain that they knew something about conception and gender. What caused them to guess wrongly? What could they have done (then vs now) to correct their misconceptions?

Aug. 27

How do our attitudes and beliefs affect the way we view ourselves? How does society, in turn, shape these beliefs? How consciously aware are we of the forces shaping our expectations and attitudes?

1. Brannon, Chapter 3; Chapter 6, pp. 153-159 FILM: The Codes of Gender – (Films for Action), 46 min.

Question for journal entry: What is a code of gender? In what ways are these otherwise subliminal codes revealed? Which ones have touched your life and your self-concept?

Sept. 1

How have psychologists addressed gender stereotypes and their impact? Why is it important to be aware of gender stereotypes?

Sept. 3

How do we think about gender?

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Question for journal entry: Which gender stereotypes influenced you most growing up? Did you try to live up to the stereotypic ideals or did you resist them, even rebel against them? How do those stereotypes touch your life these days?

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Sept. 8

Have researchers found significant sex differences over the decades? What are they? What is their practical significance – do they affect our life choices?

1. Readings book: Spencer, Steele, & Quinn, “Stereotype threat and women’s math performance.”

Sept. 10

Gender and cognitive abilities, concluded

1. Readings book: Chapter 1, “Stereotypes, Science, Censorship and the Study of Sex Differences, by Diane F. Halpern

Sept. 15

FIRST TEST

All tests will be on eLearning with links on the course homepage.

Sept. 17

How much does our biological make-up predetermine our gender? How much is written into our genes, chromosomes, and hormone complement?

1. Brannon, Chapter 4 through page 92-102. Video: Intersex

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Assessment

Question for journal entry: How has your gender affected your aspirations? Is it likely that someone with a different gender would have the same aspirations? Is there an attractive option you have dismissed as wrong for you due to your gender?

Question for journal entry: Arguments from biology have met with disapproval from some feminist thinkers. Can these arguments be compassionate? If so, in what way?

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Sept. 22

How much do biological variations among the sexes affect our brains: the way we think, feel, and behave? Our choices?

1. Taking Sides - Issue: Are Question for journal There “Male” and “Female ” entry: Maximalists Brains? tend to emphasize gendered brain YES: Gregory L. Jantz, from differences whereas "Brain Differences Between minimalists tend to Genders," Psychology dismiss them when Today (2014) discussing possible NO: Lila MacLellan, from “The Biggest Myth about Our Brains Is innate aspects of gendered behavior. That They Are ‘Male’ or How might their ‘Female,’” Quartz (2017) argument proceed? Can you make a fair case for each side of the argument?

Sept. 24

How might experiences affect our biological make-up?

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Assessment

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Assessment

Sept. 29

What is sexual orientation? What determines it for each of us? How changeable is sexual orientation?

Read on eLEARNING: 1. Sexual orientations and gender identities,” 2. Up-to-date definitions and information about sexual orientation” 3. “Therapeutic responses to changing sexual orientation>” 4. Read Brannon, Chapter 10, pp. 303-316. 5. Issue: Are Children Who Are Raised by a Lesbian or Gay Couple Worse Off than Those Raised by Different-sex Parents? YES: Mark Regnerus, from "Media Gush over New Study, Only to Find Same-sex Parents More Irritated with Their Children," Public Discourse (2016) NO: Henny M. W. Bos et al., from "Same-sex and Different-sex Parent Households and Child Health Outcomes: Findings from the National Survey of Children’s Health," Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics (2016)

Questions for Journal entry: Is each of our sexual orientations innate – i.e., present from birth? Is it possible that environmental factors shape sexual orientation? Argue one or the other position. How have negative prejudices and religious objections to gay sexual orientation affected the mental health of gay/lesbian/pansexual individuals?

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Assessment

Oct. 1 What is gender identity? What does it come from, what shapes it? Is it changeable?

1. Brannon, Chapter 6, pp. 147150. 2. Reading on eLEARNING: “The Five Sexes Revisited” Trans 101 3. Taking Sides - Issue: Is Gender Identity Biological? YES: Aruna Saraswat, Jamie D. Weinand, and Joshua D. Safer, from “Evidence Supporting the Biological Nature of Gender Identity,” Endocrine Practice (2015) NO: Michael J. Carter, from “Gender Socialization and Identity Theory,” Social Sciences (2014)

Question for journal entry: Is it possible to change one’s gender identity through experience? What evidence is there that this is the case? Within less than a generation, transgender identity that has been hidden has become a lowfrequency but otherwise normal human variation in many people’s minds. Any way to understand why this rapid change occurred at this time in history?

Oct. 6 Gender identity cont’d

1.Taking Sides - Issue: Should Transgender Children Be Allowed to Transition? YES: Samantha Allen, from “It’s Absurd to Claim That Trans Kids Are Being ‘Rushed’ Into Transitioning,” The Daily Beast (2017) NO: Michelle Cretella, from "Gender Dysphoria in Children," American College of Pediatricians (2018)

1.Brannon, Chapter 10 through Oct. 8 What kinds of p. 303; challenges do women and men encounter in creating a mutually pleasurable and rewarding sexual relationship?

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Question for journal entry: Whereas many women report never having experienced orgasm, few men report this. How can this gender difference in sexual experience be explained? How can women discover more gratification in sexual activity?

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Date

Topic

Reading Assignment

Assessment

Oct. 13

How peculiar are Americans’ attitudes toward sex?

Tedx Talk by Terri Conley, Ph.D. on her sex research

Question for journal entry: Our current culture shames both women and men about their sexuality. How does the culture do this? How can we respond to this phenomenon positively?

Oct. 15

Are our friendships 1. Brannon, Chapter 9 gendered? If so, what challenges do we face when forming and maintaining crossgender friendships? What do we look for in a friend?

Oct. 20

SECOND TEST

Oct. 22

Does gender shape 1. Brannon, Chapter 8 our emotional lives? Does our gender biology predispose us toward certain emotions or motivations (or not)?

Oct. 27

Gender & emotion, cont’d.

Online/Blended Course Syllabus

Question for journal entry: Have your closest friends been same- or differentgender? Has your experience of friendship been similar or different with friends of different genders?

All tests will be on eLearning with links on the course homepage. Question for journal entry: How have stereotypes about emotion and gender affected your emotional expressions? Are there counterstereotypic emotions that you rarely experience? Any guesses as to how it ...