Psychology of Women

Exam Essay Questions

Spring 2007

As you build an answer to each question below, keep the following things in mind:

v Always introduce your answer with broad statements about the relevant theory(ies).

v Make sure all the terms you use are clear and used correctly. In general, the more terms the better.

v Provide examples to support your broad statements. Examples of research findings are the best examples. The more research findings, the better.

v Use both the textbook and class notes for each answer.

Third Exam Essay Questions

What are the "costs" of motherhood?
Describe the typical mix of feelings about becoming a mother. What factors predict successful adjustment to motherhood?
What changes in child birth have occurred in the last 20 years, thanks to the Women's movement and having more female obstetricians?
What is the prevalence of post-partum depression and what are its likely causes?
In what ways can the health care system be biased against women?
What are the major health risks facing women?
What is menopause like for most women? How do most women feel about menopause before and then after it happens?
Why are women more likely to become depressed than men are? (hint: don't say hormones!)
Describe the symptoms and prognosis for anorexia nervosa and bulimia.
Why do people get anorexia nervosa?
How is feminist therapy distinct from non-sexist therapy and from other forms of therapy?
Define rape. What is the scope of the problem? Why do so few victims report the crime?
Define intimate partner violence. Why don't the victims leave?
What are the characteristics of families in which sexual abuse occurs?
Why do some sexual abuse victims adjust better than others?

The BIG QUESTIONS

Based on the 2 learning objectives below, I have written 2 comprehensive questions for this exam.

Students will develop interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and the ability to examine their own values, beliefs, and feelings.
Use critical thinking in discussing women’s issues within Psychology.

Describe 3 way in which your values, beliefs and feelings have been challenged in this course. How have you resolved these conflicts?
Describe one area in which critical thinking has challenged a commonly held belief and supported a feminist point of view. Describe one area in which critical thinking has not supported a feminist belief.

Second Exam Essay Questions

What are the gender differences in talkativeness, language style, and content of communication?
Discuss gender differences in personal space, bodily posture, touch, gaze, and facial expression.
Who gossips and why?
Describe the Big 5 and the gender differences within them. How might your personality be different in you were the other gender?
How are women's and men's friendships different and the same?
Discuss gender differences in aggression.
What are the major factors that increase the likelihood of gender discrimination in getting a job?
Why do women earn less than men?
Why get married?
According to John Gottman, why do marriages succeed and fail?
What do you think every adult should know in order to have a safe and fulfilling sex life?
Do women have more flexible sexuality?
Why do so many women (especially young women) fail to use contraceptives.
Why is the right to an abortion a feminist issue?

First Exam

What kind of feminist are you?
What is gender? How is it related to sex, and to sexual orientation. (Use You don't know Dick for examples.)
What are the types of biases that can influence scientific research about gender? Give at least one example of a finding that was biased.
What is the Gender Similarities Hypothesis? How good is the evidence that supports it?
What is the Gender Differences Hypothesis? How good is the evidence that supports it?
What evidence is there that hormones influence gender development and identity? Discuss both prenatal (organizing) hormones and activating hormones in your answer.
How does social learning affect gender development and identity?
How do cognition and schemas affect gender development and identity?
Describe the research findings on “PMS”.
What are the important issues regarding body image and attractiveness for teenage girls? Is it actually more important for girls/women to be pretty?
How is adjustment to adolescence the same for boys and girls? How is it different?
What is self-esteem? Where does it come from? How important an issue is it for teenage girls?
Why do girls keep on choosing lower wage careers? What can we change to encourage more girls into higher wage careers?

These are good examples of the kinds of questions you will find on exams, but they are from last year.

First Exam

What kind of feminist are you?
What gender are the individuals in "You Don't Know Dick"? Were they always that gender? Discuss your opinion using all aspects of gender.
Name 5 sources of bias in science and give an example of each.
What is meta-analysis? How does it help us understand gender differences?
Discuss 4 sources of stereotypes about women. What are the effects of stereotypes on women?
Do you think it is important to be "politically correct" in terms of gender and language? Why or why not?
Why are we more effected by some role models than others?
In what ways does biology effect our gender, not our sex?
Besides biology, what factors influence the development of gender in children. Be specific.
What factors determine when a girl reaches menarche? What factors are associated with the most successful adjustment to menarche?
Why are psychologists so skeptical about PMS? Why do so many women think they have it?
How important are gender differences in self-esteem? Support your answer with specifics.
Why do so few women pursue more lucrative non-traditional careers? What is necessary to get more women to make non-traditional choices?