Psychology
The Psychology of Gender
If there is a discrepancy between the outline posted below and the outline posted on the OWL course website, the latter shall prevail.
WESTERN UNIVERSITY
LONDON CANADA
Department of Psychology
Winter 2024
Psychology 2074B Section 001
The Psychology of Gender
- CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
Being born into one gender category and not another has a profound impact on how individuals are treated, what they expect of themselves, what others expect of them, and how they lead and experience their lives. We examine gender across a variety of domains from the perspective of psychological science.
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
Anti-requisite: Not applicable
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/academics/timetables.html
Prerequisite: Restricted to students in Year 2, 3, 4.
3 lecture hours; Course Weight: 0.5
Unless you have either the prerequisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enrol in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites.
2.0 COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Bidushy Sadika, M.A.
Office: SSC 6242
Office Hours: By appointment (in-person or on Zoom) – please email. (Please include PSYC 2074B in the subject line for any email communications about this course.)
Email: bsadika@uwo.ca (24-hour response time on weekdays, 48-hour response time on weekends)
Teaching Assistant: Ella Rose Keogh
Office: SSC 6323
Office Hours: TBD
Email: ekeogh3@uwo.ca
Time and Location of Classes: See Student Centre for location
Delivery Method: In-Person
Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Health and Wellness @Western https://www.uwo.ca/health/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.
Please contact the course instructor if you require material in an alternate format or if you require any other arrangements to make this course more accessible to you. You may also contact Accessible Education at aew@uwo.ca or 519-661-2147.
2.1 Online Learning Notice:
Please note: For courses delivered in an online format, include an online component, or are required to pivot online, students must have a reliable internet connection and computer that are compatible with online learning system requirements. Some courses may also require the use of a remote proctoring platform to ensure assessments are taken fairly in accordance with Western’s policy on Scholastic Discipline for Undergraduate Students and Scholastic Discipline for Graduate Students. Please refer to the course syllabus for further information.
3.0 TEXTBOOK
Bosson, J., Buckner, C.E., & Vandello, J.A. (2021). The Psychology of Sex and Gender (2nd Ed.). Sage.
A paperback or an e-book version of the textbook can be ordered from the bookstore.
https://bookstore.uwo.ca/textbook-search?campus=UWO&term=B2023&courses%5B0%5D=650_UW/PSY2074A
An e-text version can also be purchased here:
https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/the-psychology-of-sex-and-gender/book269885
https://www.amazon.ca/Psychology-Gender-Jennifer-Katherine-Bosson-ebook/dp/B08SKJ7HKG/
4.0 COURSE OBJECTIVES & LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course is devoted to the investigation of women and men grounded in psychological science. By the end of the course, students should understand the basic theories, methods, findings, and problems encountered in the psychological study of gender. We cover a range of topics related to how we study the psychology of gender, how we become gendered, gender stereotypes and discrimination, sexuality and sexual orientation, gender similarities and differences, gender and work, gender and relationships, gender and health, and gender-based aggression and violence. This course provides an overview of the most up to date scientific findings in the field, encourages students to evaluate their own myths and misconceptions about gender, and challenges students to think critically about the role of gender in their everyday lives.
Lecture attendance in this course is considered to be mandatory. Lectures are intended to complement the textbook, which means I will present a blend of content that will include information not in the textbook. Approximately half of the items on each examination cover material that is presented only in lectures and not covered in readings. Class attendance will significantly increase how much you get out of this course. Students who miss lectures score dramatically lower on examinations.
Gender is inherently a sensitive topic and is interwoven with other sensitive topics (social class, race). In a class of this nature and size, we cover sensitive and personally relevant topics, and a variety of opinions and views are to be expected. To ensure a positive learning experience and full participation by all, please listen with an open mind and express your thoughts and responses in a respectful manner.
4.1 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Learning Outcome |
Learning Activity |
Assessment |
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Depth and Breadth of Knowledge.
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Knowledge of Methodologies.
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Application of Knowledge.
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Communication Skills.
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5.0 EVALUATION
The evaluation and testing formats for this course were created to assess the learning objectives as listed in section 4.0 and are considered necessary for meeting these learning objectives.
The course grade is based on online forum posts, two midterm exams, and a cumulative final exam. Each of the three exams will consist of multiple-choice questions, and the final exam will also include short-answer questions.
- Online Forum Posts (Weekly) – 5% of overall mark
- Midterm 1 – 30% of overall mark
- Midterm 2 – 30% of overall mark
- Final Exam (Cumulative) – 35% of overall mark
Online Forum Posts (Weekly; 5%):
As specified in the Evaluation/Assessment Schedule (Section 6.0), you are required to participate in weekly discussion forums, starting from Week 2, with exceptions for the midterm weeks and reading week. Consequently, there will be a total of nine forums scheduled throughout the semester. It's important to note that the 'Introduce Yourself!' forum in Week 1 will not be evaluated for grading purposes.
For each of the nine forums, you have the option to answer ONE of the following questions:
- What are the top 2-3 insights you have gained from your weekly reading?
- Which one question arose in your mind as you engaged with the weekly reading, causing confusion or sparking further curiosity?
- How can you apply one of the concepts or lessons learned from your readings to your daily life experiences or to a current event?
Each online forum will remain open for posting until the start of the corresponding weekly class lecture. For instance, the Week 2 forum is available for posting until the upcoming class next week, and you will answer one of the questions above based on your Week 2 reading (Chapter 2). Once the deadline has passed, no further posts can be submitted to the forum. Kindly provide concise responses that directly address the questions posed; you may use bullet points if preferred.
Grading Criteria:
This assignment is primarily assessed based on completion. To earn full 5% for the online forum posts component of your course grade, you must:
- Contribute to ALL nine weekly forums.
- Avoid providing overly simplistic responses and instead, demonstrate meaningful engagement with the course readings by addressing one of the aforementioned questions.
Once the discussion is closed, further posts will not be possible. It is advisable to post early and keep a backup of your work with screenshots, as "technical difficulties" will not be considered a valid excuse for missing a forum post deadline.
Midterm 1 (30%), Midterm 2 (30%), and Cumulative Final Exam (35%):
Content: As designated in the Evaluation/Assessment Schedule (Section 6.0), there will be two midterms in this course. Each midterm will consist of 50 multiple-choice questions. Midterm 1 will cover chapters 1-5 and their corresponding lectures. Midterm 2 will cover chapters 6-10 and their corresponding lectures.
The final exam will be cumulative, covering Chapters 1-14 from the textbook and all lecture materials. You will be responsible for materials covered on Midterms 1 and 2, as well as those covered after Midterm 2. The final exam will consist of 90 multiple-choice questions and 5 short-answer questions.
Administration: All exams will be conducted on campus. Both midterm exams will take place during regular class hours. The exact date, time, and location for the final exam will be announced once it has been scheduled.
All exams will be closed book. You will have 2 hours to complete the midterm exams, and 3 hours to complete the final exam. Suspicion of collaboration on the exam will be subject to investigation, such as the analysis of response patterns. Please just prepare and do your own work.
5.1 POLICY ON MISSING COURSEWORK
If you miss an exam, please email me as soon as possible or the result will be a mark of zero. With proper documentation, a make-up exam will be administered. Make-up exams for this course will be essay-type examinations. I simply cannot set more than one multiple-choice exam for each examination date.
Once a discussion forum is closed, it is no longer possible to participate. However, if you have been granted academic accommodations for an online discussion forum, your missed forum post will not be calculated into your Online Forum Posts grade.
The expectation for course grades within the Psychology Department is that they will be distributed around the following averages:
70% 1000-level to 2099-level courses
72% 2100-2999-level courses
75% 3000-level courses
80% 4000-level courses
The Psychology Department follows Western’s grading guidelines, which are as follows (see: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/general/grades_undergrad.pdf
A+ 90-100 One could scarcely expect better from a student at this level
A 80-89 Superior work that is clearly above average
B 70-79 Good work, meeting all requirements, and eminently satisfactory
C 60-69 Competent work, meeting requireents
D 50-59 Fair work, minimally acceptable
F below 50 Fail
Note that in the event that course grades are significantly higher or lower than these averages, instructors may be required to make adjustments to course grades. Such adjustment might include the normalization of one or more course components and/or the re-weighting of various course components.
Policy on Grade Rounding: Please note that although course grades within the Psychology Department are rounded to the nearest whole number, no further grade rounding will be done. No additional assignments will be offered to enhance a final grade; nor will requests to change a grade because it is needed for a future program be considered. To maximize your grade, do your best on each and every assessment within the course.
6.0 ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION SCHEDULE
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Assessment |
Date and Time |
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Online Forum Posts (5%) |
Due each week before class begins (Tuesday before 9:30 AM), except for the midterm weeks and reading week. |
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Midterm 1 (30%) |
February 6th (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM) |
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Midterm 2 (30%) |
March 12th (9:30 AM – 11:30 AM) |
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Cumulative Final Exam (35%) |
April 11th – 30th (in-person) (Time: TBD) |
All exam and online forum post grades will be posted and available on the OWL site for the course. The forum post grades will be available at the end of the term upon completion of all nine forum posts.
7.0 CLASS SCHEDULE
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Week # |
Week of |
Topic |
Readings |
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1 |
January 9th |
Introducing Sex and Gender |
Chapters 1 |
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2 |
January 16th |
Studying Sex and Gender |
Chapter 2 |
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3 |
January 23rd |
Nature, Nurture & Gender Development |
Chapter 3 & 4 |
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4 |
January 30th |
The Contents and Origins of Gender Stereotypes |
Chapter 5 |
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5 |
February 6th |
MIDTERM 1 |
Chapters 1 – 5 and corresponding lectures |
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6 |
February 13th |
Sexism and Discrimination |
Chapter 6 |
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7 |
February 20th |
READING WEEK |
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8 |
February 27th |
Cognition, Language, Communication, and Emotion |
Chapters 7 & 8 |
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9 |
March 5th |
Sexuality and Interpersonal Relationships |
Chapters 9 & 10 |
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10 |
March 12th |
MIDTERM 2 |
Chapters 6 – 10 and corresponding lectures |
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11 |
March 19th |
Work and Home |
Chapter 11 |
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12 |
March 26th |
Physical and Psychological Health |
Chapter 12 & 13 |
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13 |
April 2nd |
Aggression & Violence |
Chapters 14 |
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April 11th – 30th |
FINAL EXAM |
Cumulative (Chapters 1 – 14 and corresponding lectures) |
8.0 LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We acknowledge that Western University is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron peoples, on lands connected with the London Township and Sombra Treaties of 1796 and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum.
With this, we respect the longstanding relationships that Indigenous Nations have to this land, as they are the original caretakers. We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (e.g. First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and we accept responsibility as a public institution to contribute toward revealing and correcting miseducation, as well as renewing respectful relationships with Indigenous communities through our teaching, research and community service.
9.0 STATEMENT ON ACADEMIC OFFENCES
Students are responsible for understanding the nature and avoiding the occurrence of plagiarism and other scholastic offences. Plagiarism and cheating are considered very serious offences because they undermine the integrity of research and education. Actions constituting a scholastic offence are described at the following link: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf
As of Sept. 1, 2009, the Department of Psychology will take the following steps to detect scholastic offences. All multiple-choice tests and exams will be checked for similarities in the pattern of responses using reliable software, and records will be made of student seating locations in all tests and exams. All written assignments will be submitted to TurnItIn, a service designed to detect and deter plagiarism by comparing written material to over 5 billion pages of content located on the Internet or in TurnItIn’s databases. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between Western and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com).
Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams will be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating.
In classes that involve the use of a personal response system (PRS), data collected using the PRS will only be used in a manner consistent to that described in this outline. It is the instructor’s responsibility to make every effort to ensure that data remain confidential. However, students should be aware that as with all forms of electronic communication, privacy is not guaranteed. Your PRS login credentials are for your sole use only. Students attempting to use another student’s credentials to submit data through the PRS may be subject to academic misconduct proceedings.
Possible penalties for a scholastic offence include failure of the assignment/exam, failure of the course, suspension from the University, and expulsion from the University.
10.0 POLICY ON THE USE OF EXAM PROCTORING SOFTWARE
Tests and examinations for online courses will be conducted using a remote proctoring service. By taking this course, you are consenting to the use of this software and acknowledge that you will be required to provide personal information (including some biometric data) and the session will be recorded. Completion of this course will require you to have a reliable internet connection and a device that meets the technical requirements for this service. More information about this remote proctoring service, including technical requirements, is available on Western’s Remote Proctoring website at: https://remoteproctoring.uwo.ca.
In the event that in-person exams are unexpectedly canceled, you may only be given notice of the use of a proctoring service a short time in advance.
11.0 POLICY ON ACCOMMODATION FOR ILLNESS OR OTHER ABSENCES
Western’s policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness can be found at:
https://www.westerncalendar.uwo.ca/PolicyPages.cfm?PolicyCategoryID=1&Command=showCategory&SelectedCalendar=Live&ArchiveID=#Page_12
If you experience an extenuating circumstance (e.g., illness, injury) sufficiently significant to temporarily make you unable to meet academic requirements, you may request accommodation through the following routes:
- For medical absences, submitting a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) signed by a licensed medical or mental health practitioner in order to be eligible for Academic Consideration;
- For non-medical absences, submitting appropriate documentation (e.g., obituary, police report, accident report, court order, etc.) to Academic Counselling in their Faculty of registration in order to be eligible for academic consideration. Students are encouraged to contact their Academic Counselling unit to clarify what documentation is appropriate.
Students must see the Academic Counsellor and submit all required documentation in order to be approved for certain accommodation.
https://www.registrar.uwo.ca/faculty_academic_counselling.html
Students seeking academic consideration:
- are advised to consider carefully the implications of postponing tests or midterm exams or delaying handing in work;
- must communicate with their instructors no later than 24 hours after the end of the period covered SMC, or immediately upon their return following a documented absence
Students seeking accommodation for religious purposes are advised to contact Academic Counselling at least three weeks prior to the religious event and as soon as possible after the start of the term.
12.0 CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR RETURN TO LOCKDOWN: IN-PERSON & BLENDED CLASSES
In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence or any other event that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, either synchronously (i.e., at the times indicated in the timetable) or asynchronously (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change. Any remaining assessments will also be conducted online, as determined by the course instructor.
13.0 STATEMENTS CONCERNING ONLINE ETIQUETTE
In courses involving online interactions, the Psychology Department expects students to honour the following rules of etiquette:
- please “arrive” to class on time
- please use your computer and/or laptop if possible (as opposed to a cell phone or tablet)
- please ensure that you are in a private location to protect the confidentiality of discussions in the event that a class discussion deals with sensitive or personal material
- to minimize background noise, kindly mute your microphone for the entire class until you are invited to speak, unless directed otherwise
- In classes larger than 30 participants please turn off your video camera for the entire class unless you are invited to speak
- In classes of 30 students or fewer, where video chat procedures are being used, please be prepared to turn your video camera off at the instructor’s request if the internet connection becomes unstable
- Unless invited by your instructor, do not share your screen in the meeting
The course instructor will act as moderator for the class and will deal with any questions from participants. To participate please consider the following:
- If you wish to speak, use the “raise hand” function and wait for the instructor to acknowledge you before beginning your comment or question.
- Please remember to unmute your microphone and turn on your video camera before speaking.
- Self-identify when speaking.
- Please remember to mute your mic and turn off your video camera after speaking (unless directed otherwise).
General considerations of “netiquette”:
- Keep in mind the different cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the students in the course.
- Be courteous toward the instructor, your colleagues, and authors whose work you are discussing.
- Be respectful of the diversity of viewpoints that you will encounter in the class and in your readings. The exchange of diverse ideas and opinions is part of the scholarly environment. “Flaming” is never appropriate.
- Be professional and scholarly in all online postings. Use proper grammar and spelling. Cite the ideas of others appropriately.
Note that disruptive behaviour of any type during online classes, including inappropriate use of the chat function, is unacceptable. Students found guilty of Zoom-bombing a class or of other serious online offenses may be subject to disciplinary measures under the Code of Student Conduct.
14.0 OTHER INFORMATION
Office of the Registrar: https://registrar.uwo.ca
Student Development Services: www.sdc.uwo.ca
Psychology Undergraduate Program: https://www.psychology.uwo.ca/undergraduate/index.html
If you wish to appeal a grade, please read the policy documentation at: https://www.uwo.ca/univsec/pdf/academic_policies/appeals/appealsundergrad.pdf
Please first contact the course instructor. If your issue is not resolved, you may make your appeal to the Undergraduate Chair in Psychology (psyugrd@uwo.ca).
Copyright Statement: Lectures and course materials, including power point presentations, outlines, videos and similar materials, are protected by copyright. You may take notes and make copies of course materials for your own educational use. You may not record lectures, reproduce (or allow others to reproduce), post or distribute any course materials publicly and/or for commercial purposes without the instructor’s written consent.
Policy on the Recording of Synchronous Sessions: Some or all of the remote learning sessions for this course (if scheduled) may be recorded. The data captured during these recordings may include your image, voice recordings, chat logs and personal identifiers (name displayed on the screen). The recordings will be used for educational purposes related to this course, including evaluations. The recordings may be disclosed to other individuals participating in the course for their private or group study purposes. Please contact the instructor if you have any concerns related to session recordings. Participants in this course are not permitted to privately record the sessions, except where recording is an approved accommodation, or the student has the prior written permission of the instructor.
