Gender: Psychological Perspectives: International Edition

Each chapter concludes with “Considering Diversity,” “Chapter Summary,” “Glossary,” and “Suggested Readings.”

1. The Study of Gender. 
HEADLINE: “The New Gender Wars,”Psychology Today, November/December, 2000.
History of the Study of Sex Differences in Psychology.
Issues in the Study of Gender.
2. Researching Sex and Gender.
HEADLINE: “Caution: Women Seething," Vanity Fair, June, 2005.
How Science Developed.
Approaches to Research.
Gender Bias in Research.
3. Gender Stereotypes: Masculinity and Femininity.
HEADLINE: “Stereotypes Get Shot Down," USA Today, March 7, 2006.
Origins of Gender Stereotypes
Conceptualizing and Measuring Masculinity and Femininity.
The Process and Implications of Stereotyping.
4. Hormones and Chromosomes.
HEADLINES: “PMS Makes You Smarter!" CosmoGirl!, February, 2006; "Father Nature: The Making of a Modern Dad," Psychology Today, March-April 2002.
The Endocrine System and Steroid Hormones.
Stages of Differences between the Sexes.
Sexual Differentiation.
Hormones and Behavior Instability.
5. Theories of Gender Development.
HEADLINE: “Freud Was Way Wrong,”New York Times, June 11, 2000.
The Psychodynamic Approach to Personality.
Horney's Theory of Personality
Contemporary Psychoanalytic Theories of Personality Development
Social Learning Theory.
Cognitive Theories of Gender Development.
Which Theory Is Best?
6. Developing Gender Identity.
HEADLINE: “My Son Doesn't Act Like a Boy,”Family Life, April 1, 2001.
Gender Identity Development.
Influences on Gender Development
7. Intelligence and Cognitive Abilities.
HEADLINE: “Lost in Space,”Vogue, June, 2001.
Cognitive Abilities.
Source of the Differences.
Implications of Gender-Related Differences.
8. Emotion.
HEADLINE: “Big Boys Don't Cry-And Other Myths about Men and Their Emotions," Reader's Digest, October, 2005; There's No Crying in Business," Fortune, October 18, 2004.
Physiological, Cognitive, and Behavioral Aspects of Emotion.
Gender and the Experience of Emotion.
Expressivity and Emotion.
9. Relationships.
HEADLINE: “Lessons from the Love Lab," Health, October, 2004.
Friendships.
Love Relationships.
Dissolving Relationships.
10. Sexuality.
HEADLINE: “Just Don't Do It," U.S. News and World Report, October 17, 2005.
The Study of Sexuality.
Childhood Sexuality: Exploration and Abuse.
Heterosexuality.
Homosexuality.
Bisexuality.
11. School.
HEADLINE: “Boy Problems," New York Times Magazine, April 3, 2005.
The School Experience.
Achievement.
12. Careers and Work.
HEADLINE: “Kids vs. Career," Maclean's, March 15, 2004.
Careers.
Gender Issues at Work.
13. Health and Fitness.
HEADLINE: “Why Marriage Is Good Medicine for Men," Parade, June 18, 2006.
Mortality: No Equal Opportunity.
The Health Care System.
Gender, Lifestyle, and Health.
14. Stress, Coping, and Psychopathology.
HEADLINE: “Are You Addicted to Stress? (No? Are You Sure?)," Redbook, July, 2005.
Stress and Coping.
Diagnoses of Mental Disorders.
Gender Comparisons in Psychopathology.
15. Treatment For Mental Disorders.
HEADLINE: “Man's Last Stand: What Does It Take to Get a Guy into Therapy?" Psychology Today, August 2004.
Approaches to Therapy.
Gender Issues in Therapy.
Sexual Exploitation in Therapy.
The Self-Help Movement.
16. How Different?
HEADLINE: “What's a Modern Girl to Do? New York Times Magazine, October, 30, 2005.
What Do Women Want? What Do Men Want?
Multiple Roles Have Become the Rule.
Where Are the Differences?
Is a Peace Plan Possible?

Q:  Would you like to equally cover both men and women in your gender course?
A:  Studying both women and men is essential to an understanding of gender.  Brannon’s text incorporates balanced coverage of gender with attention to and critical analysis of both men’s and women’s issues.  It examines the research and theory from psychology and related fields in order to evaluate the behavior, biology and social context in which both women and men function.
 
Q:  Do you use current research to get your students to think critically about gender?
A:  Brannon’s text presents current research findings while realizing that these findings do not always present a complete picture.  Given the complex and contradictory nature of research, the author believes it is important to understand research rather than draw conclusions based on personal opinions and popular media portrayals. 
In addition to the text’s overarching theme, “According to the Research” boxes present an opportunity for the student to reflect on the material in a more unbiased, factual manner.
 
Q:  Do you bring images of gender from popular media to your class?
A:  Not only are the sexes the topic of many private and public debates, but gender differences are also the topic of many newspaper, magazine, and television stories. 

• “According to the Media” boxes examine how gender is portrayed in various forms of media.  In the text, they are placed opposite the “According to the Research” boxes.  The contrast of these two presentations provides an opportunity to examine gender bias and stereotyping in the media. 
• “Headlines” sections from newspapers, journals, and magazines expose students to the bias that can be found in the media and encourages readers to think critically about the material that they read.

Q:  Would reading personal accounts of gender issues help your students understand how gender applies to people’s everyday lives?
A:  “Gendered Voices” sections throughout each chapter allow students to read narratives from real people, balancing the text’s strong research base with actual personal narratives.  These “gendered voices” is the author’s attempt to restore some of the details lost in statistical summaries, allowing men and women to tell about their personal experiences.   
 
Q:  How do you incorporate diversity in your gender course?
A:   Although diversity issues enter this text throughout, “Considering Diversity” sections have been added to ensure attention to the growing field of diversity within gender studies. Each chapter provides some context for a closer examination of a cross-cultural topic.

Linda Brannon had a long career as a professor of psychology at McNeese State University in Louisiana. Dr. Brannon taught a variety of courses, conducted research, and authored textbooks, including Psychology of Gender, Introduction to Psychology, and Health Psychology. She retired in 2022 and was named Professor Emerita in 2023. She continues to devote time to her textbooks.

"Gender is a very important contribution to the study of gender in psychology. Its innovative format and unique organization provide for an enjoyable learning experience for students of psychology." - Florence L. Denmark, Pace University
"Gender strikes the perfect balance between biological and social factors that inform the psychology of gender. Even more importantly, this text is solidly based on scientific research findings rather than venturing into the minefield of gender politics." - Linda Heath, Loyola University Chicago
"Gender provides a readable review of both classic and recent research on gender. Linda Brannon is consistently balanced and empirical in her stance, and original in the way she threads varied topics together to give the reader a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of gender." - Maureen C. McHugh, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
"Gender thoroughly covers the latest research on traditional topics, such as relationships and sexuality, and clearly presents newer topics such as homosexuality, transsexuals, and sexual abuse. Excellent for psychology and sociology courses." - Nancy Netting, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Canada
"I have been happily using Gender for many editions now, and definitely plan to continue having seen the same excellent writing, research foundation, and easy-to-follow organization in the seventh edition. My students like this text; I highly recommend it." - Karen J. Prager, The University of Texas at Dallas