Deck 14: Sex Differences and Similarities, and Gender-Role Development

Question 1

On the average, on which tests of cognitive ability do females perform better than males?

A)short-term memory
B)verbal/writing ability
C)visual/spatial ability
D)mathematical

Answer 1

verbal/writing ability

Question 2

Suppose that a child was shown videos of activities labelled as sex-appropriate or sex-inappropriate.According to research findings, how will this labelling affect the children's recall of the activities?

A)They will recall more sex-inappropriate activities because they attend more to input that is inconsistent with their gender schemas.
B)They will recall more about the sex-appropriate activities because they attend more to input that is consistent with their gender schemas.
C)The labels will have little influence on children's recall if they have been raised in an egalitarian family.
D)Labelling will interfere with children's recall of information about both types of activities, due to performance stress to remember the correct items.

Answer 2

They will recall more about the sex-appropriate activities because they attend more to input that is consistent with their gender schemas.

Question 3

Based on current research findings, when do children begin to demonstrate knowledge of gender-role stereotypes?

A)between 1 1/2 and 2 years
B)between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years
C)between 4 and 5 years
D)between 7 and 8 years

Answer 3

between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years

Question 4

According to social learning theory, what is thought to play the strongest role in the acquisition of gender-role preferences in toddlers and preschool children?

A)differential reinforcement of spontaneous behaviours
B)positive reinforcement for correct behaviours
C)imitation of same-sex peer models
D)direct tuition by siblings

Question 5

Bigler and Liben (1992) devised cognitive interventions aimed at reducing 5- to 11-year old children's gender-schematic thinking about occupations for men and women.What did their results indicate?

A)Classification training was superior to rule training.
B)To weaken stereotypes, children had to be exposed to months of training.
C)Children involved in the training were more likely to recall counterstereotypic information than were children in the control group.
D)Children were unable to see the fallacies in their own rigid gender schemas.

Question 6

Serbin and her colleagues have found that grade-school children draw sharp distinctions between the sexes based on psychological traits.What traits do they appear to learn first?

A)positive traits that characterize their own gender and negative traits associated with the other gender
B)positive traits associated with both genders
C)negative traits that characterize their own gender and positive traits associated with the other gender
D)negative traits associated with both genders

Question 7

Which of the following best summarizes the research findings of Whiting and Edwards' cross-cultural studies of children's preferences for same-sex playmates?

A)Most cultures do not show marked same-sex playmate preferences.
B)Same-sex playmate preference is common, but only in early childhood.
C)Same-sex preference is common and intensifies with maturation.
D)The degree of same-sex playmate preference fluctuates randomly between cultures.

Question 8

Which of the following gender appropriate statements is supported by research?

A)By 14-22 months girls prefer trucks and cars to other objects.
B)By 14-22 months boys and girls prefer soft toys such as dolls or stuffed animals.
C)By 14-22 months boys and girls are equally likely to prefer playing with children the same sex as they are.
D)By 14-22 months boys prefer to play in pairs or smaller groups, and girls prefer larger groups.

Question 9

Which of the following best exemplifies the traits that define an expressive style of gender roles?

A)responsibility, obedience, achievement, and sensitivity
B)dominance, assertiveness, independence, and competitiveness
C)kindness, nurturance, assertiveness, and independence
D)kindness, nurturance, cooperation, and sensitivity

Question 10

Which of the following is an example from the masculine items on a gender-role inventory for elementary school children?

A)I can take care of myself.
B)I am faithful to my friends.
C)I am a cheerful person.
D)I care about what happens to my friends.

Question 11

Which statement best characterizes the stage of basic gender identity?

A)Children recognize that boys invariably become men and girls grow up to be women.
B)Children first show evidence of identifying with the same-sex parent.
C)Children recognize that one's gender cannot be altered by cross-dressing or taking up cross-sex activities.
D)Children begin to consistently label themselves as boys or girls.

Question 12

Which of the following statements on gender roles is accurate?

A)Children with parents who perform nontraditional roles adhere more strongly to stereotypes than those with parents who perform more traditional roles.
B)Children do not learn about typical patterns of male and female behaviour through observing models of each sex until they are 10- or 11-years old.
C)Toys rated the highest on educational value, scientific attributes, and cognitive and physical skill development were those categorized as neutral or moderately feminine.
D)Mothers' and fathers' traditional gender role beliefs predicted daughters' but not sons' traditional gender-role beliefs.

Question 13

When do children first begin to show some awareness of gender-role stereotypes?

A)by the end of the first year
B)about the time they can accurately label themselves as either a boy or a girl
C)about the time they recognize sex is an unchanging attribute
D)after they enter a formal school environment

Question 14

Which of the following conclusions regarding hormonal influences on human gender development is accurate?

A)There is little evidence to suggest that differences between males and females are hormonally mediated.
B)Girls exposed to low levels of testosterone before birth show a preference for masculine toys and activities.
C)Prenatal exposure to male sex hormones influences the attitudes, interests, and activities of females.
D)Androgenized females perform lower than average for girls on tests of spatial ability.

Question 15

Of the following, which children are most likely to become interested in cross-sex activities, toys, and games?

A)females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia
B)males with testicular feminization
C)typical males
D)typical females

Question 16

According to Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental theory, at which stage of sex typing does a girl first recognize that she can never become a father?

A)gender stability
B)basic gender identity
C)gender consistency
D)gender intensification

Question 17

Maximilian and Lily are both working for an engineering company.The company announces that there are going to be layoffs.Given the situation of performance under condition of threat, who do you think will perform worse, Maximilian or Lily?

A)Both will be equally threatened and perform equally poorly.
B)Maximilian will perform worse, due to self-fulfilling prophecy.
C)Lily will perform worse, due to stereotype threat.
D)There is no way to know based on the information provided.

Question 18

Keltie is an elementary teacher who likes to use anecdotes in her lessons.If she wants to help her students to understand the research data regarding sex differences in academics, what should Keltie incorporate into her story?

A)a comparison of two children who perform at an average level of achievement
B)a comparison of children at the extreme top or bottom of the grade distribution
C)a comparison of two children when they are given easy problem-solving tasks
D)a comparison of group performance on several different tasks

Question 19

Jonas is a 4-year-old boy who likes to play with female action figures.He makes up stories and then pretends that the figures act out the parts.Jonas' father gets angry and tells Jonas to play with male superheroes and stop being such a "girl." Is his father's reaction to Jonas's gender-inconsistent behaviour typical?

A)It is usual, because fathers often get upset when their sons show cross gender behaviours.
B)It is very unusual, because most fathers don't care too much about what toys their children play with until they are at least 5 years old.
C)It is more typical of a mother's response than a father's response, because mothers get more upset at their sons' gender-inconsistent behaviour than fathers do.
D)It is surprising today, although it would have been typical 20 years ago.

Question 20

Fernando and his mother are waiting in a doctor's office where there is a play area containing several toys, including a small truck and a large stuffed bear.Based upon research evidence, if Fernando is 18 months old, will he choose the truck or the bear?

A)He will choose the truck, because he will perceive it as a "boy's" toy.
B)He will choose the stuffed bear, because it is bigger than the truck.
C)He will choose to play with both toys, because they are novel.
D)He will choose the stuffed bear, because it is a cross-sex toy.

Question 21

Based on current research findings regarding the evaluation of accomplishments of males and females, which of the following conclusions has received the most support?

A)Both males and females are likely to undervalue the accomplishments of females.
B)People view females as more competent when reminded of the increasing number of women in high-status professions.
C)Females are more likely to undervalue the accomplishments of other females than are males.
D)There are no consistent data that show the accomplishments of both sexes are devalued until mid-adolescence.

Question 22

According to the integrative theory outlined in the textbook, at what age do children show evidence of intrinsic motivation to seek information regarding sex-appropriate behaviours?

A)in early infancy and toddlerhood
B)in the preschool years
C)in the early elementary school years
D)only after they begin puberty

Question 23

Have the data gathered from cross-cultural research studies supported Kohlberg's stages of gender-identity formation?

A)They have partially, as some cultures have more stages and some have fewer stages than were identified by Kohlberg.
B)No, the sequence of the stages he outlined is highly variable, and children often follow a different sequence or skip at least one of the stages.
C)They have partially, as his stages accurately describe the formation of gender identity in males, but not in females
D)Yes, his three stages of gender identity seem to be relatively universal.

Question 24

Which sex is more physically vulnerable to injury, disability, or disease during development?

A)females, at all ages
B)males, at all ages
C)males, after the age of 10
D)females, after the age of 2

Question 25

Even though genes determine our biological sex and may have some influence on the outcome of gender typing, what percent of the variability in people's masculine and feminine self-concepts is attributable to environmental influences?

A)approximately 10 percent
B)approximately 25 percent
C)at least 50 percent
D)more than 75 percent

Question 26

What percentage of university students have been found to be androgynous?

A)10 percent
B)30 percent
C)50 percent
D)75 percent

Question 27

Suppose a friend told you about an individual born with female external anatomy who was chromosomally a genetic male.Is this developmental outcome possible, and if so, why would it occur?

A)No, because the presence of a XY chromosomal pattern is the critical factor determining differentiation of male genitalia.
B)No, because female external anatomy requires production of the female hormone estrogen.
C)Yes, because production of the female hormone estrogen can override the XY genetic pattern.
D)Yes, because rare individuals are insensitive to testosterone, which is needed to override differentiation as a female.

Question 28

Which of the following research findings regarding teachers fostering gender-schematic thinking is accurate?

A)Egalitarian treatment of children in preschool is unnecessary as children are more affected by the home environment and are unlikely to internalize messages from outside the home until they reach school age.
B)Until late elementary, school-age children are oblivious to teacher-modelling regarding gender.
C)Endorsing gender stereotypes in the early years helps children rebel against early role assignment.
D)Avoiding grouping students based on gender can combat gender stereotyping.

Question 29

Which of the following best describes the typical understanding of gender exhibited by children who are 2 1/2 to 3 years of age?

A)They can accurately label themselves as either boys or girls.
B)They are still confused about whether they are boys or girls.
C)They can accurately classify others as to their sex.
D)They do not reliably label themselves as either a boy or a girl.

Question 30

What does the term cross-sex toys refer to?

A)those that help the child to resolve the Oedipus/Electra complex
B)those that are especially sought by gender-intensified teenagers
C)those that are stereotypically appropriate for the other gender
D)those that induce the child to doubt his or her own gender identity

Question 31

According to Sandra Bem, to which gender category would a person be assigned if he or she displayed neither masculine nor feminine traits or behaviours?

A)androgynous
B)inverted
C)aschematic
D)undifferentiated

Question 32

What is the term for the gender-role standard that women ought to be socially sensitive, nurturing, kind, and cooperative?

A)permissive
B)expressive
C)compassionate
D)instrumental

Question 33

Several behavioural genetic studies of self-concept have been conducted using adolescent twin pairs.Based on the results of these studies, what percentage of the variability in children's self-concepts does genotype account for?

A)about 50 percent of the variability in their masculine self-concepts
B)about 50 percent of the variability in their feminine self-concepts
C)between 15 and 35 percent of the variability in their feminine self-concepts
D)between 0 to 20 percent of the variability in their masculine self-concepts

Question 34

At about what age do children first understand that gender identity is an unchanging attribute?

A)12 months
B)2 years
C)5 years
D)7 years

Question 35

What form will the external genitalia take when a child develops in the absence of sex hormones during the prenatal period?

A)male
B)female
C)intermediate
D)undifferentiated

Question 36

If children are pressured to adopt an instrumental personality style, which traits are likely to be valued in their culture's gender-role standard for success?

A)responsibility, obedience, achievement, and sensitivity
B)dominance, assertiveness, independence, and competitiveness
C)kindness, independence, assertiveness, and cooperation
D)kindness, nurturance, cooperation, and sensitivity

Question 37

Suppose your friend's son tells you, "When I grow up, I am going to be a man." His statement exemplifies which of Kohlberg's stages of gender development?

A)stability
B)identity
C)intensification
D)consistency

Question 38

Which of the following is evidence for a psychobiological model of gender?

A)Prenatal exposure to hormones changes the underlying genetics that influence males and females.
B)Compared to boys, girls develop a richer array of neural pathways in the brain's left cerebral hemisphere.
C)Different early experiences that boys and girls have will influence the neural pathways laid down in their brains.
D)Compared to girls, boys develop a richer array of neural pathways in the brain's right cerebral hemisphere.

Question 39

To which of the following statements would Bem agree?

A)Parents need to teach children the all-encompassing importance of biological sex.
B)Parents with nontraditional attitudes toward gender roles are at risk for rebound effects, that is, children with rigid views of gender roles.
C)Parents should encourage cross-sex as well as same-sex play.
D)Efforts to change gender-role attitudes are more effective with older children, once they have abstract reasoning skills.

Question 40

Why do false stereotypes about gender persist despite contrary evidence?

A)They stabilize one's gender consistencies.
B)They organize and distort information in memory.
C)They destabilize one's gender consistencies.
D)They weaken one's confidence in gender-role standards.

Question 41

During which phase of development do children tend to be most tolerant of cross-sex behaviours?

A)infancy and toddlerhood
B)infancy and early adolescence
C)the preschool years and early adolescence
D)the preschool years and late adolescence

Question 42

Several studies have shown that individuals tend to judge girls as being less competent than boys in areas such as mathematics.During which of the following developmental phases does this judgment typically begin?

A)at the end of toddlerhood
B)by the preschool and early elementary years
C)by the middle school years
D)only after the high school years

Question 43

Which of the following attributes characterizes children who perform well on general tasks that require the labelling of stimuli as male or female?

A)They are skeptical of gender-typed information.
B)They know less about gender-role stereotypes.
C)They are more aware of the androgynous gender role.
D)They know more about gender-role stereotypes.

Question 44

We often assume that boys will act more aggressively than girls in both play and conflict situations.Given the research findings of Maccoby and Jacklin and others, is this assumption valid?

A)Yes, when the measures are based on physical aggression.
B)No, because few sex differences have been found in this area.
C)No, because girls are more aggressive than boys when verbal aggression is assessed.
D)It is partially valid, because the data have been inconsistent.

Question 45

Based on the findings of Barry and colleagues' classic cross-cultural research, which of the following qualities were valued most for males?

A)achievement and self-reliance
B)nurturance and obedience
C)obedience and responsibility
D)nurturance and achievement

Question 46

Oscar is just starting his first permanent job as a math teacher for a split Grade 5/Grade 6 class.If Oscar's attitude toward sex differences in performance reflects that of the average teacher, what performance will he expect of the boys and girls in his class?

A)The boys will work harder, and the girls will demonstrate greater ability.
B)The boys will use acquired skills, and the girls will use innate skills.
C)The boys will have greater ability, and the girls will work harder.
D)The boys will work to impress others, and the girls will work to satisfy themselves.

Question 47

What percentage of grade-school children have been found to be androgynous?

A)10 percent
B)30 percent
C)50 percent
D)75 percent

Question 48

During which developmental phase are sex differences in play patterns and preferences for same-sex peers first observed?

A)when children are in the toddler years
B)when children are in the early preschool years
C)when children start attending elementary school
D)when children enter the late elementary school years

Question 49

How do the textbook authors identify sex?

A)a person's biological attributes, independent of chromosomes
B)a person's chromosomes only
C)a person's biological attributes, including chromosomes, physical manifestations of identity, and hormonal influences
D)a person's individually and socially constructed identity

Question 50

According to Sandra Bem, which of the following best characterizes the pattern of behaviours of an androgynous individual?

A)He or she exhibits primarily feminine behaviours.
B)He or she exhibits primarily masculine behaviours.
C)He or she exhibits a blend of both masculine and feminine behaviours.
D)He or she exhibits behaviours that are neither particularly masculine or feminine.

Question 51

Which statement best characterizes the stage of gender consistency?

A)Children recognize that boys invariably become men and girls grow up to be women.
B)Children recognize that one's understanding of gender cannot be altered by cross-dressing or taking up cross-sex activities.
C)Children first show evidence of identifying with the same-sex parent.
D)Children begin to consistently label themselves as boys or girls.

Question 52

According to the research of Sandra Bem, persons that exemplify which gender category are most likely to exhibit high self-esteem?

A)androgynous
B)aschematic
C)undifferentiated
D)feminine

Question 53

What do psychologists mean when they state that males and females differ on a particular trait?

A)All males differ from all females on the trait.
B)Most males differ from most females on the trait.
C)A few males differ from a few females on the trait.
D)The average male differs from the average female on the trait.

Question 54

According to integrative theorists, which theoretical perspective best explains the development of gender-typed interests between the ages of 3 and 6 years?

A)social learning
B)cognitive developmental
C)gender schema
D)psychoanalytical

Question 55

Based on current research, what factor has been found to play the strongest role in the development of gender-role standards?

A)environmental effects on prenatal sex differentiation
B)biologically based limitations to maturation in both sexes
C)specific cultural views of behaviours deemed appropriate for each sex
D)societal expectations of sexuality in adolescence

Question 56

A group of male and female children are asked the following question: "How many capital letters of the alphabet have a flat, straight line?" Based upon average sex differences in performance, what would be the sex of the highest-scoring student?

A)female, because of superior visual imagery skills
B)female, because of superior computational skills
C)male, because of superior visual imagery skills
D)male, because of superior language skills

Question 57

According to research evidence, which of the following characteristics would 3- to 5-year-old children typically use to distinguish men and women?

A)body shape
B)sex-typed activities
C)clothing and hairstyle
D)individual body parts

Question 58

According to Bandura, through what process(es) do children acquire their gender identities and gender-role preferences?

A)resolution through identification
B)intensification
C)observational learning and direct tuition
D)parental reinforcement and punishment

Question 59

Which of the following statements best summarizes the research evidence regarding the magnitude of sex differences?

A)Sex differences are quite substantial on most measures of children's abilities.
B)Sex accounts for almost 50 percent of the variation in children's academic abilities.
C)Sex accounts for 50 percent of children's ability in math, but only 5 percent of the difference in their verbal abilities.
D)Sex differences are typically quite small, and the abilities of males and females usually overlap.

Question 60

The display of which pattern of behavioural characteristics is considered typical of individuals who are classified as androgynous?

A)predominately feminine
B)predominately masculine
C)highly feminine and highly masculine
D)unique behaviours that are neither masculine or feminine

Question 61

Which statement best summarizes the research evidence regarding the influence of the media on stereotyped sex roles?

A)Boys are more influenced by media portrayals of both men and women.
B)Both boys and girls are influenced by media portrayals of both men and women.
C)Girls are more influenced by viewing media portrayals of men.
D)Both boys and girls are influenced more by media portrayals of women.

Question 62

According to cognitive-developmental theories of gender-role development, what does self-socialization include?

A)reinforcement for gender-appropriate behaviours
B)valuing characteristics associated with the opposite gender
C)actively seeking out same-sex models
D)responding to sex-specific praise from parents

Question 63

Bradbard et al.found that 4- to 9-year-old children remembered more about objects that they believed to be sex-appropriate than those they believed to be appropriate for the opposite sex.Which theory of sex typing does this finding support?

A)biosocial
B)social learning
C)gender schema
D)psychobiosocial

Question 64

How do the textbook authors identify gender?

A)a person's biological attributes, independent of chromosomes
B)a person's chromosomes only
C)a person's biological attributes, including chromosomes, physical manifestations of identity, and hormonal influences
D)a person's individually and socially constructed identity

Question 65

Suppose that your local school board recently asked that the Differential Aptitude Test be administered to all Grade 5 students.The board is particularly interested in the scores from the spatial relations and abstract reasoning sections.Based on your knowledge of average sex differences in cognitive abilities, how would you expect students to score?

A)Males will score higher than females on both sections.
B)Males will score higher than females on the spatial relations section.
C)Females will score higher than males on both sections.
D)Females will score higher than males on the abstract reasoning section.

Question 66

Suppose you are interviewing 8-year-old Farid about his views of men and women.He tells you, "Men are mean, and women are nice." Is Farid's description of men and women typical for his age?

A)No, because most children do not use psychological dimensions to make gender distinctions between the two sexes.
B)Yes, because most children first learn the negative traits that are associated with their own gender.
C)Yes, because most children use psychological dimensions to make distinctions between the two sexes as soon as they acquire the boy-girl gender distinction.
D)No, because most children typically first learn the positive traits that characterize their own gender.

Question 67

The display of which of the following patterns of behavioural characteristics is considered typical of individuals who are classified as undifferentiated?

A)predominately feminine
B)predominately masculine
C)highly feminine and masculine
D)behaviours that are neither masculine nor feminine

Question 68

Money and Ehrhardt claim that both biological and social factors contribute to sex differences in gender-role development.Does research evidence provide support for this theory?

A)It provides strong support for a role of biological factors as major contributors.
B)It provides weak support for a role of social factors as major contributors.
C)It provides strong support for both biological and social factors as major contributors.
D)It provides almost no support for the idea that either biological factors or social factors influence gender-role development.

Question 69

Suppose you are interviewing Alise about her views of women and men.She tells you, "Women are nice, and men are mean." Based on her description, how old is Alise likely to be?

A)not yet 2 years of age
B)between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 years of age
C)between 5 and 7 years of age
D)between 11 and 12 years of age

Question 70

What are the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ)?

A)research tools to assess levels of heterosexuality in children near puberty
B)self-perception inventories to assess one's gender identity and life-satisfaction after puberty
C)self-perception inventories that contain instrumentality and expressivity scales
D)assessment tools for attitudes regarding sex, sexuality and levels of acceptance

Question 71

According to Kohlberg, what do children have to acquire before they can engage in self-socialization of gender?

A)stability
B)intensification
C)consistency
D)identity

Question 72

If children are pressured to adopt an expressive style of personality, what traits are likely to be valued in their culture's gender-role standard for success?

A)responsibility, obedience, achievement, and sensitivity
B)dominance, assertiveness, independence, and competitiveness
C)kindness, independence, assertiveness, and cooperation
D)kindness, nurturance, cooperation, and sensitivity

Question 73

Based on the findings of Barry and colleagues' classic cross-cultural research, which of the following qualities were valued most for females?

A)obedience and self-reliance
B)nurturance and obedience
C)nurturance and achievement
D)self-reliance and achievement

Question 74

Which of the following would be the most likely outcome if a child suffers from congenital adrenal hyperplasia?

A)The onset of puberty will be delayed in both males and females.
B)Feminization of both genetic males and females will occur during the prenatal period.
C)The onset of puberty will be advanced in both males and females.
D)Masculinization of both genetic males and females will occur during the prenatal period.

Question 75

What is the term for the gender-role standard that men should be dominant, independent, assertive, competitive, and goal oriented?

A)macho
B)expressive
C)instrumental
D)assertiveness

Question 76

What of the following most accurately describes behavioural flexibility?

A)It is unachievable with the social demands of our high-tech society.
B)It is demonstrated by androgynous people.
C)It is not considered adaptive.
D)It could be harmful if it demands role changes without an appropriate time period of adaptation.

Question 77

Which sex is less physically vulnerable to injury, disability, or disease during development?

A)females, at all ages
B)males, at all ages
C)males, before the age of 2
D)females, after the age of 10

Question 78

According to the research of Sandra Bem, persons that exemplify which gender category are most likely to exhibit low self-esteem?

A)androgynous
B)masculine
C)undifferentiated
D)feminine

Question 79

Which theory emphasizes the role of selective information gathering and recall in the development of gender-appropriate behaviours and preferences?

A)biosocial
B)cognitive developmental
C)psychoanalytic
D)gender schema

Question 80

Four-year-old Levi likes to play with his cousin's dolls.Which of Levi's family members would be most concerned with his behaviour?

A)his mother
B)his father
C)his sister
D)his brother