PSY 292: PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN - Fall 1994 Professor: Dr. Mollie Whalen (mwhalen@po-box.esu.edu) University: East Stroudsburg University, PA COURSE DESCRIPTION This course examines the psychology of women and the construct of gender from a feminist-psychological and social constructivist theoretical framework. In addition to gender, the course explores the ways that constructs such as race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, age, and physical ability interact and operate at individual, interpersonal, and cultural levels to modify women's experiences. Finally, the course examines the social and political implications of our cultural understandings of woman and gender, and raises questions about the possibilities for social (and therefore psychological) change. OBJECTIVES 1. Identify and describe the social constructivist paradigm as an epistemological approach to understanding the meaning and interrelatedness of constructs such as gender, woman, race, class, sexual orientation. 2. Examine the development of "Psychology of Women" curricula, including its feminist roots, philosophical underpinnings, methodological approaches, and orientation toward developing woman-centered knowledge. 3. Review the research within psychology that pertains to sex and gender differences and relate that research to women's lifespan developmental issues, including learning, working, partnering, mothering, coping with violence and oppression, and aging. 4. Examine the historical, social, cultural, and political context in the United States (e.g. laws, social movements, language, the media) and consider the impact of those forces and structures on women's lives . Consider a desired direction and potential actions for changing this context. TEXTBOOK Unger, Rhoda & Crawford, M. (1992). Women and gender: A feminist psychology. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Supplemental readings to be assigned (see attached bibliography) PROCEDURES The course will be conducted with lectures as well as small group discussions and projects. Student participation is emphasized. COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Students are expected to attend class regularly, to keep current with assigned readings; complete assignments on time, and participate in class discussions and activities. 2. Students will keep a journal of reactions to a self-selected aspect of the assigned readings and/or classroom discussion for each week. At times journal responses to a specific topic may be assigned. (Suggested length of each week's entry: equivalent of 1-2 typewritten pages.) 3. Students will write a brief autobiography, summarizing the significant events in your life which have contributed to making you who you are today. Include your analysis of the effects on your life of 3 of the following 4 constructs: gender, race/ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation/preference. This autobiography will be due the 2nd week of class. Up to 5 points of EXTRA CREDIT will be added to your final point count (see Evaluation below) if you would like to resubmit your autobiography at the end of the semester. I will expect your resubmitted paper to demonstrate that your analysis of the impact of race, class, gender, and sexual orientation was considerably enhanced by your experiences in this course. 4. A take-home midterm examination will be assigned. The midterm will ask you to select from among several questions and write coherent, critical essay responses. 5. Over the course of the semester, students will complete three focused assignments that will lead to a final research report on an aspect of the psychology of women. You are encouraged to collaborate with classmates on the design and development of your research. Your task will be to interview someone and write a final research report. Your goal will be to develop an understanding of a selected aspect of the personal history and social context of this individual life and to analyze and discuss how this information helps further your understanding of the conditions and experiences (i.e. the psychology) of women. Your final report should include suggestions for policy or social change that might better the lives of women. To accomplish this overall task, the following assignments must be completed after deciding (and obtaining my agreement on) who you will interview. A. Develop an outline of questions which will assist you in conducting your interview. Write a 3-5 page paper discussing the focus of and rationale for your interview. (What aspects of the individual's life will you ask about and why? What are the questions that motivate your line of inquiry? How will your interview questions elicit the information your seek?) B. Write a 3-5 page paper describing your proposed method for establishing a research relationship with the person you interview. (How will you approach the person? How will you talk about your goals? What about confidentiality? Which of your own personal characteristics might influence the type of information you are able to gather? How?) C. After interviewing your identified person, write a 3-5 page paper discussing how the information you obtained might be used to help better the lives of women. You will then use (with some modification after you have interviewed and analyzed your data) these three papers as the basis for a final research report that generally follows APA format: an Introduction defining the focus or question; a description of Method; a summary of the interview Findings; an Analysis of the implications of the findings and a Conclusion with suggested policy or social changes, and directions for future research. 5. The final two class periods will be devoted to students providing a brief oral summary of their research to the class. You will describe who you interviewed and why; what you discovered about the psychology of women; what your conclusions and suggestions for social change are. EVALUATION Distribution of course requirements toward your final grade will approximate the following percentages: Percent of Final Grade 1. Class preparedness and class participation - 10% 2. Journal of reactions (5% each collection; includes Autobiography) - 15% 3. Midterm essays - 15% 4. 3 brief paper assignments (10% each) - 30% 5. Oral summary of research - 5% 6. Final research report - 25% TOTAL - 100% Each assignment will be given points on a scale from 55 - 100, following the guidelines below. For your final grade the points for each assignment will be multiplied by the percentage given above and then added together for a total. Extra credit points for resubmitted Autobiography will be added to total. Understand that ESU does not use a plus-minus system for final grades. A 99 - 93 A- 92 - 90 B+ 89 - 87 B 86 - 83 B- 82 - 80 C+ 79 - 77 C 76 - 73 C- 72 - 70 D+ 69 - 67 D 66 - 63 D- 62 - 60 E 59 - 55 If you do not hand in assignments on the due date, your total points for that assignment will be reduced by 5% (1 - 6 days late) or 10% (7 -13 days late). Assignments will not be accepted later than 13 days after they are due (i.e. they will be assigned 55 points). PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN: TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE - Fall 1994 Week #1 Topic: Course introduction & syllabus review; Historical overview of "knowing"; Social constructivist thought; Introduction of constructs & contexts key to this course. Week #2 Topic: Feminist approaches to psychology. Contrast with traditional approaches to the psychology of women. Woman as other, other women: The language of we and they Readings: Ch. 1-2. Lorde reprint. Assignments due: Selection of person to be interviewed. Autobiography due. Week #3 Topic: Sex and gender differences: Biological and cultural aspects. Readings: Ch. 3 and 6. Stoltenberg reprint. Week #4 Topic: Sex and gender differences: Political aspects. Readings: Ch. 4 and 5. Van Gelder reprint. Assignment due: Interview questions & rationale paper. Week #5 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Childhood. Readings: Ch. 7 Midterm will be handed out. Week #6 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Adolescence. Readings: Ch. 8. Mayer reprint. Journal of reactions from weeks 2 through 5 will be collected. Week #7 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Loving and caring. Readings: Ch. 9. Birtha reprint. Assignment due: Midterm essays Week #8 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Relationships. Readings: Ch. 10. Bambera reprint. Assignment due: Method paper. Week #9 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Mothering; Work & Achievement Readings: Ch. 11 and 12. Chan reprint Week #10 Topic: Toward a woman-centered developmental psychology: Midlife & beyond. Readings: Ch. 13. Joseph reprint. Journal of reactions from weeks 6 through 9 will be collected. Week #11 Class will not meet. Use time to work on your interviews & policy paper. Week #12 Topic: Violence against women Readings: Ch. 14. hooks reprint. Assignment due: Policy Implication paper. Week #13 Topic: Women and wellness; Women and illness Readings: Ch. 15. Caplan reprint. Week #14 Topic: Summing Up; Discussing feminist approaches to knowing. Readings: Ch. 16. Project Presentations Journal of reactions from weeks 10 through 13 will be collected. Final Week Project Presentations (Project papers due by Wednesday, December 21) Bibliography of Discussion Articles Bambera, T. (1990). Medley. In M. H. Washington (Ed.), Black-eyed susans and midnight birds, pp. 356- 374. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Birtha, B. (1990). In the life. In J. Nestle & N. Holoch (Eds.), Women on women: An anthology of American lesbian short fiction, pp. 51-65. New York: Penguin Books. Caplan, P. (1991). Delusional dominating personality disorder (DDPD). Feminism & Psychology, 1, 1, 171-174. Chan, S. (1990). You're short, besides! In G. Anzaldua (Ed.), Making face, making soul: Creative and critical perspectives by feminists of color, pp. 162-128. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books. hooks, b. (1989). Feminist focus on men: A comment. In b. hooks, Talking back: Thinking feminist, thinking black, pp. 127-133. Boston, MA: South End Press. Joseph, J. (1987). Warning. In S. Martz (Ed.), When I am an old woman I shall wear purple: An anthology of shorts stories and poetry, p. 1. Manhattan Beach, CA: Papier-Mache Press. Lorde, A. (1984). Age, race, class, and sex: Women redefining difference. In A. Lorde, Sister outsider, pp. 114-123. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press. Mayer, V. (1983). The fat illusion. In L. Schoenfielder & B. Wieser (Eds.), Shadow on a tightrope: Writings by women on fat oppression, pp. 3-14. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books. Stoltenberg, J. (1990). How men have (a) sex. In J. Stoltenberg, Refusing to be a man: Essays on sex and justice, pp. 25-39. New York: Meridian Press. Van Gelder, L. (1991). The "born that way" trap. Ms., 1, 86-87.