Deck 8: Sex and Gender

Question 1

Sexual harassment was not recognized as a social problem until the 1970s.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

In his study of 324 societies around the world, anthropologist George Murdock found that specific tasks were universally assigned to men and others to women, giving support to the argument that biology controls human behavior.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Sociologically, females are appropriately classified as a minority group.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Promotion of feminism and the rights of women in the Least Industrialized Nations has resulted in the practice of honor killing being outlawed throughout the world.

Question 5

The "testosterone bonus" refers to men's ability to think quicker and act more decisively than women.

Question 6

A unique feature of American colleges and universities is that they have been co-ed since being established in seventeenth-century colonial America.

Question 7

The 1985 Vietnam veterans study clearly demonstrated that biology (in this case, testosterone)is the cause of male aggressiveness.

Question 8

The fact that women are twice as likely to die after coronary bypass surgery can be traced to unintentional sexual discrimination by medical personnel.

Question 9

In hunting and gathering as well as horticultural societies, women contributed the majority of the food supply to their groups.

Question 10

The major theories on the origin of patriarchy point to the social consequences of human reproduction.

Question 11

Of nearly 1 billion adults worldwide who are illiterate, two-thirds are women.

Question 12

Research shows that women are less likely to become full professors.

Question 13

The Supreme Court has ruled that sexual harassment laws do not apply equally to homosexuals who are harassed by heterosexuals on the job.

Question 14

Sociologists believe that if biology were the principal factor in determining human behavior, there would be greater uniformity of behavior among all people - men and women, regardless of gender - around the world.

Question 15

Sociologically, "gender" and "sex" are interchangeable terms that have virtually the same meaning.

Question 16

The ratio of women who work for wages is evenly distributed throughout the United States.

Question 17

Only males who are given a single dose of testosterone seek higher status and show less regard for the feelings of others.

Question 18

Women commit homicide at nearly the same rate as men.

Question 19

A Women who works as a high level executive and a child care providing man would tend to reaffirm their gender while at home.

Question 20

Gender stratification refers to the ranking of males and females according to their access to power, property, and prestige based on their sex.

Question 21

Sociologically, why is gender especially significant?

A)It is a master status cutting across all aspects of life.
B)It permits a comparison to superior male qualities.
C)It provides one group to lead, another to follow.
D)It reinforces the teachings of Genesis.

Question 22

Which of the following statements best describes how most sociologists believe behavioral gender differences develop between men and women?

A)Gender differences are based on social factors
B)Gender differences are based on genetic dispositions.
C)Gender differences are the result of biological differences.
D)Gender differences are based on physiological differences

Question 23

Who proposed the concept that women are better prepared biologically for "mothering" than men, which is overlaid in culture?

A)Cynthia Fuchs Epstein
B)Margaret Mead
C)Alice Rossi
D)Rebecca Ann Wilson

Question 24

What classification or terminology do sociologists apply to women that describe their inability to gain equal access to power, property, and prestige?

A)the glass escalator
B)radical feminism
C)a counterculture
D)minority group

Question 25

In what society were women and men often considered social equals?

A)industrial
B)pastoral and horticultural
C)agricultural
D)hunting and gathering

Question 26

What conclusion did George Murdock make following his study of 324 societies?

A)Women are biologically and socially suited for "mothering" and nurturing tasks.
B)Men hold a position of dominance in society because of their inherent strength.
C)Every society associates certain activities with one sex or the other.
D)Feminism has upset the natural order of the division of labor in modern society.

Question 27

What is the normal chromosome configuration for a male?

A)XY
B)XX
C)XYY
D)XXY

Question 28

According to __________ patriarchy could have had different origins in different places.

A)Gerda Lerner
B)Frederick Engels
C)Marvin Harris
D)George Murdock

Question 29

Based on the accident that led to the sex change of a seven-month-old identical twin as well as the Vietnam veterans' study, which statement is most accurate regarding the effects of nature and nurture on behavior?

A)Nature is the dominant force in determining human behavior.
B)Nurture is the dominant force in determining human behavior.
C)Human behavior is the result of nature and nurture working together.
D)Neither nature nor nurture is responsible for determining human behavior.

Question 30

Felix tends goats in Peru, while his wife, Maria, takes care of the family crops. John is a nurse in France and his wife, Sonia, is a midwife. Based on cross-cultural studies, whose work would be given more prestige in their respective societies?

A)Maria's and Sonia's
B)Felix's and Sonia's
C)Felix's and John's
D)Maria's and John's

Question 31

Dominance behavior, such as winning a game, produce higher levels of __________.

A)testosterone
B)aggressive behavior
C)progesterone
D)stress

Question 32

Which statement is least accurate regarding sex and gender?

A)The world offers unequal access to power, prestige, and property based on one's sex.
B)Being born male or female carries images and expectations on how one should act.
C)Gender is sociologically significant because it is the way in which society controls its members.
D)The terms "sex" and "gender" are sociologically and biologically interchangeable.

Question 33

Why do sociologists classify females as a minority group?

A)Women are outnumbered by men in virtually every society.
B)Women are not as physically strong as men.
C)Men perform the most difficult and dangerous work in most societies.
D)Women are discriminated against because of their physical characteristics.

Question 34

What activity did Marvin Harris link to the emergence of sex discrimination and men gaining the upper hand?

A)warfare and hand-to-hand combat
B)childbirth and childrearing
C)local governance of the tribe or community
D)the right to vote

Question 35

According to sociologists, why do men and women typically perform different types of work?

A)It is based on biology and climate.
B)It is a product of socialization and social control.
C)Its determining factors are motivation and aspiration.
D)It focuses on status and wealth as the determining factors.

Question 36

The term for the unequal access to power, prestige, and property based on a person's sex is ________.

A)sex typing
B)sexual harassment
C)gender stratification
D)matriarchy

Question 37

In his study of sex typing and work, ________ was the one occupation considered to be "men's work" in all the societies examined by George Murdock.

A)metal working
B)herding cattle
C)hard physical labor
D)disciplining children

Question 38

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

A)psychological
B)biological
C)philosophical
D)anthropological

Question 39

George Murdock discovered that only a few jobs were consistently male-dominated in his study of 324 societies around the world. He considered all of the following as male-dominated jobs EXCEPT for ________.

A)making weapons
B)pursuing sea mammals
C)taking care of cattle
D)hunting

Question 40

Which of the following is a primary sex characteristic?

A)increased body hair in men
B)lower voice in men
C)a uterus in women
D)broader hips in women

Question 41

What is the term for gender discrimination against women who miss the work experience while they care for children at home?

A)the child penalty
B)the devaluation of women
C)the glass ceiling
D)the glass escalator

Question 42

When many students graduate from college, they are able to earn an extra $1,435 a month between the ages of 25 and 65. These students manage to earn this bonus by ________.

A)majoring in business
B)being born male
C)joining an influential fraternity/sorority
D)majoring in medicine

Question 43

What is the practice of suttee?

A)permitting only men the right to vote
B)requiring women to cover their faces in public
C)passing legislation that legally makes women inferior to men
D)burning the living widow with the body of her dead husband

Question 44

In Pakistan, Jordan, and Kurdistan, a woman who has brought disgrace to her family is killed by a male relative, usually her brother or husband. This practice is called ________

A)honor killing
B)domestic manslaughter
C)blood feud
D)infanticide

Question 45

Marketing, sales, and production positions are considered _________ that lead(s)to the top of a company.

A)support positions
B)barriers to jobs
C)pipelines
D)"women's work"

Question 46

In 1890, women made up about ________ of the U.S. labor force. Today, they represent almost ________.

A)0; 35
B)10; 35
C)15; 40
D)20; 50

Question 47

Joan and Jim were both hired to do the same work at the Acme Tool Company, although Jim's title is slightly different from Joan's. Jim has received a higher starting salary. What do sociologists call this form of employment discrimination?

A)the testosterone bonus
B)the good ol' boy network
C)the blue-collar syndrome
D)management by gender

Question 48

Of the nation's top 500 corporations, referred to as the "Fortune 500," ________ are headed by women.

A)none
B)eighteen
C)twenty-five
D)thirty-seven

Question 49

The majority of students graduating with a degree in library science are women. Research has shown that this sex typing of majors is primarily due to ________.

A)gender discrimination in education
B)women's natural strength in reading and language
C)gender socialization
D)the prestige of library science

Question 50

Which wave of feminism was characterized by broad goals ranging from an increase in women's pay to an antiviolence campaign?

A)the first wave
B)the second wave
C)the third wave
D)the fourth wave

Question 51

The fact that nearly 80 percent of engineering degrees are awarded to men while 90 percent of library science degrees are awarded to women illustrates the phenomenon of ________.

A)feminization of the workplace
B)gender tracking
C)affirmative action
D)political correctness

Question 52

The first wave of the women's movement had a radical branch and a conservative branch. What was the goal of the radical branch of the movement?

A)campaigning to pass an Equal Rights Amendment
B)winning the right to vote for women
C)reforming all the institutions of society
D)changing women's work roles

Question 53

Which wave of the women's movement focused on the problems of women in the Least Industrialized Nations?

A)the first wave
B)the second wave
C)the third wave
D)the fourth wave

Question 54

In which profession have women made the greatest change in earning professional degrees compared to the number of degrees conferred to men?

A)engineering
B)psychiatry
C)agriculture
D)dentistry

Question 55

What act did members of the National Women's Party engage in to gain the right to vote in 1917?

A)They picketed the White House.
B)They filed suit with the Supreme Court of the United States.
C)They boycotted all male political activities.
D)They encouraged all women who worked for the government called in sick for a month.

Question 56

________ was the first to propose that we might need affirmative action for men.

A)Judith Kleinfield
B)Sue Fisher
C)Cynthia Fuchs
D)Christine Williams

Question 57

What is the philosophy that biology is not destiny, especially with regard to justifying gender stratification?

A)symbolic interactionism
B)exchange theory
C)neo-Marxism
D)feminism

Question 58

Based the same levels of academic achievement, where does the greatest pay gap exist between men and women over their lifetime?

A)among high school dropouts
B)among high school graduates
C)among those who earned some college credits but no degree
D)among college graduates

Question 59

What sport did anthropologist Douglas Foley and sociologist Donna Eder examine to illustrate the devaluation of females as a method of motivating men?

A)basketball
B)football
C)military standards
D)gang activity

Question 60

Of the following choices, the doctorate conferred with the greatest percentage of women recipients is ________, while the doctorate with the greatest percentage to men is ________.

A)social science; agriculture
B)biological sciences; mathematics
C)psychology; engineering
D)computer science; agriculture

Question 61

Even when women break through the crackling glass ceiling, they still confront gender ________that portray(s)them in a less favorable light than men.

A)tracking
B)indifference
C)stratification
D)stereotypes

Question 62

Define primary and secondary sex characteristics, and give specific examples of each.

Question 63

Why do most acquaintance rapes go unreported to authorities?

A)The victim does not wish to ruin her relationship with the perpetrator.
B)The victim feels partially responsible because she knows the perpetrator.
C)The perpetrator has invested time and money in developing a relationship with the victim.
D)The perpetrator has a higher social standing than the victim.

Question 64

What conclusion was reached after examining the medical records and behavior of more than 4,400 combat veterans in the 1985 Vietnam veterans study?

Question 65

Which of the following is not an example of sexual harassment?

A)A male boss using his position of authority to pressure women who work for him to perform sexual favors
B)A woman making obscene comments to a male homosexual she works with
C)A homosexual male making unwanted advances toward a female college
D)A high school boy acting obnoxious around a girl he is attracted to

Question 66

The sociological significance of gender is that it is a device by which society _______ its members.

Question 67

What did George Murdock discover to be the four most male-dominated occupations among the 324 societies he examined?

Question 68

By the 1970s, women began to perceive unwanted sexual advances at work and school as part of a _______ problem.

A)gender
B)structural
C)co-worker
D)company.

Question 69

What term describes the invisible barrier that keeps women from advancing to the top levels of a corporation?

A)the glass ceiling
B)the glass escalator
C)gender tracking
D)the hidden sex role

Question 70

What is the difference between sex and gender; and, sociologically, why is gender significant?

Question 71

The age range of women most likely to be victims of rape is ________.

A)12 to 15
B)16 to 19
C)20 to 24
D)25 to 34

Question 72

Which of the following statements best describes how feminists view sexual harassment?

A)It is a fundamental difference in how men and women think.
B)It is based on the social process that guides society.
C)It is based on the structural problems imbedded in society.
D)It is caused by the biological differences between men and women.

Question 73

Sexual harassment was not recognized as being a social problem until the ________.

A)1960s
B)1970s
C)1980s
D)1990s

Question 74

In politics, what distinction does Carol Brown hold?

A)She was the first African American woman elected to the U.S. Senate.
B)She was the first woman ever elected state governor.
C)She was the first woman nominated for vice-president of the United States by a major party.
D)She was the first African American woman to hold a presidential cabinet post.

Question 75

What are the primary reasons for kidnapping young women in many nations throughout the world?

Question 76

Which statement best summarizes the relationship between killers and their victims?

A)Women and men are equally represented as victims of homicide.
B)Women and men are equally represented as perpetrators of homicide.
C)More women than men are victims of homicide.
D)Men outnumber women as both victims and killers.

Question 77

Which group of men do women fear the most as potential rapists?

A)co-workers
B)strangers
C)family members outside the home
D)family members in the home

Question 78

Agatha has worked for ten years in the public relations department of a large firm. She has been promoted to several higher paying managerial positions, but never to an executive position, even though she has directed several successful projects for the firm. Her lack of promotion most likely illustrates ________.

A)the "glass ceiling"
B)the "glass elevator"
C)the "mommy track"
D)sexual harassment

Question 79

What has the Supreme Court ruled regarding the treatment of homosexuals in the workplace and sexual harassment?

A)Homosexuals can only file claims of sexual harassment if the aggressor was also a homosexual.
B)Sexual desire is a fundamental requirement for a sexual harassment charge to be valid.
C)Sexual harassment laws apply to homosexuals who are harassed by heterosexuals or other homosexuals on the job.
D)Homosexuals are not a protected class and therefore are not covered by sexual harassment laws.

Question 80

What was the final outcome in the life of "Brenda," the identical male twin whose penis was accidentally destroyed during circumcision, and who converted to a female (Brenda)and later converted back to a male (David)?