Assignment Number 2
Discussion/Writing
Chrisler. Introduction (viii-xiv)
Chrisler. Chapter 1. Sandra Bem. Transforming the debate on sexual inequality: From biological difference to institutionalized androcentrism. (2-15)
Crawford & Unger. About the Editors (vi)
Crawford & Unger. Preface. (ix-xii)
Crawford & Unger. Part 1. Making our voices heard. (1-3)
Crawford &Unger. Mary Whiton Calkins (5-16)

Student Name _____________________
Date due: 1-24-08
Psychology 258/Women's Studies 258
Hal S. Bertilson, Ph.D.
Date posted: 12-28-07

If this paper is late and you believe it may qualify as an excused absence please explain. You must also discuss the questions with someone. If the discussion were completed outside of class, please indicate who you discussed the question with and what their reactions were. ___________________________
The purpose of the written assignments is to prepare students for informed discussion of the key concepts. In order to meet this purpose, written assignments must be prepared before class and brought to class and used in the discussion.
Papers turned in late will result in half credit for the written portion of the assignment. If the absence were excused, the student will get full credit. Papers with not all questions answered will result in fractional credit.
Papers must be typed, double-spaced on 8-1/2 X 11 paper. In order to make handling papers easy and to ensure that none are misplaced, all papers are expected to be 8-1/2 X 11 inches, stapled, and with no torn, spiral notebook edges
Please staple the questions to your answers or write out the questions as well as the answers. Having the questions available in the small group will facilitate discussion.
1. Describe one way in which your experience of your gender is socially constructed. Describe a life experience that led you to understand your gender in this way. (ix)
2. Make an inference from what you read about "The Personal is Political." How is it that poverty and hunger are examples of the personal is the political? (x-xi)
3. The general principle that illustrates the impact of technological impact on sexual inequality is what? Explain. What is your reaction? (C 6)
4. Describe your relative position in a power hierarchy. Give an example. Explain one way in which that relative position was determined by your experience in an androcentric society. (x; 8-13)
5. Describe an experience you have had with an androcentric institution which transformed a male-female difference into a female disadvantage. (7-13)
6. What is going on in the Supreme Court pregnancy cases? (C 11)
7. How does Bem use set theory to criticize the Court's decision? Explain. (11)
8. What are your reactions to the nine common, feminist themes in the Chrisler introduction and the lecture by Sandra Bem on "Transforming the debate on sexual inequality: From biological difference to institutionalized androcentrism?" What did you find particularly important? Why? (2-15)
9. Crawford & Unger state that students make sense of psychology of women by looking for stories that that capture the realities of living in a gendered world. In what ways did the Mary Whiton Calkins story do that for you? Explain. (5-16)
To get the most out of small group discussion, students are encouraged to also discuss answers to study questions assigned for today. By helping each other with these answers, we all learn more.