gender

From derogation to reclamation: How does language change?

Derogatory labels are offensive words that can be reclaimed by a stigmatized group; however, the process of reclaiming can carry risks. In 2020, Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests took place around the world, reminding us about social inequalities and racism. Through these protests, we became

Girls will be girls, boys will be bossy

The word bossy has been heavily discussed recently, thanks, at least in part, to the Ban Bossy campaign. To date, this debate has centered on why women get called bossy. But what about men? In this blog post, I will share some new research on the word bossy, and what happens when both men and women...
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Marrying smart or marrying instead of being smart? The goal conflict between MRS degrees and STEM degrees

In this blog post, I review a number of studies that suggest that telling women to focus on their MRS degree (aka getting married) while in college can make women less interested in earning a STEM degree (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math). Why does this matter? Because the STEM fields are in...
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Now I ain’t sayin she’s a gold digger, but will she get with someone who makes less than her, either?

In this post I review research showing that women do not care about partner’s income as much as people may think. In fact, the research suggests that both men and women overestimate the degree to which the other gender cares about money in relationships. These findings are particularly relevant...
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Sex differences in the perception of sexual arousal

“Men are from mars, women are from Venus” [1] this saying often appears as common knowledge. Particularly the sexuality of men and women is often considered to be fundamentally different. Research, however, demonstrates that the physiological processes underlying sexual arousal in men and women are

The Force is Too Strong with This One? Sexism, Star Wars, and Female Heroes

The newest installment of the Star Wars saga, The Last Jedi , was released last month. Despite critical success, the film has been met with a polarized audience reaction online. Although likely not the primary reason for polarization, some of the negative reaction can be attributed to the perceived...
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To which gender’s disadvantage are school grades biased – girls or boys?

School grades do not only provide students with feedback on their current performance, they also determine the chances of admission to universities and the success of job applications. The question of whether teachers evaluate irrespective of gender is therefore very important. Traditionally, the

What are the positive and negative side effects of gender quotas?

To decrease inequality between men and women in the workplace, multiple European countries have introduced legislated quota regulations in favor of women. Since 2016, a gender quota has been entrenched in German law followed by a significant rise in the representation of women in target positions

What career should I choose? How self-stereotyping can influence career decisions

Stereotypical self-characterizations of women and men can result in different career decisions – contributing to the continuing gender imbalance in leadership and many career fields. We explain how stereotypical self-characterizations develop and how they influence career decisions, behavior, and

Why gender neutral toy aisles might help children’s development stay on target

In this blog post I will discuss how Target’s recent decision to do away with gender specific toy aisles could actually help children develop new cognitive skills, and as well as increase their willingness to play with different types of toys.
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