Overview of Course

Gender extends beyond biological sex to encompass the socially prescribed roles deemed appropriate for each sex by the culture in which they live. The gender roles we carry out are highly individualistic, built on our biological and physical traits, appearance and personality, life experiences such as culture, childhood, career and education, and history of sexual and romantic interactions. The Psychology of Gender is an examination of gender from a psychological, sociological, and cultural perspective and the understanding of how societies shape gender and gender roles as well as the consequences these roles have for individuals in all aspects of their lives across the globe. We will explore a variety of topics related to the study of psychology and gender, such as stereotyping and discrimination, interpersonal relationships, and development of gender understanding. This course is designed to challenge standard concepts of the gender binary of male versus female and how various cultures think about gender as a concept. We will also examine the intersectionality of gender, race and culture as we sail to different countries that hold various perspectives towards gender.