Gender Development and the DSM
Students read before class
Martin, C., & Ruble, D. N. (2010). Patterns of gender development. Annual Review of
Psychology, 61, 353-381.
http://news.byu.edu/news/disney-princesses-not-brave-enough
Broad Objective
Students will improve their critical thinking skills by evaluating developmental psychology research/theories and integrating multiple viewpoints.
Learning objectives
- Students will be able to describe the stages of gender development
- Students will be able to discuss how socialization, environment and genetics may all contribute to gender identity
- Students will understand the change made to the DSM in terms of gender
- Students will think critically about their own gender development and gender role adherence
Preschool Activity Inventory Activity
PART 1
- Project an image of a boy and a girl around age 3 and assign half of the class to assess the boy and the other half to assess the girl.
- Students complete the PSAI for the child they have been assigned.
- As a class, go over which activities/characteristics/toys students deemed typical for boys and for girls
- Discuss the measure: is it valid? could it be improved? downsides to parent-report tests
PART 2
- Now ask students to complete the PSAI for themselves at 3 or 4 years old
- Minute paper: Do you think your parents would have rated you differently on this measure than you did? Why or why not?
- Discuss why these stereotypes about masculine and feminine behavior exist and what it means to be gender atypical.
- Discuss the rigidity of masculinity and how gender roles are changing
- Discuss how children become gendered: innate v. learned
Video: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/parents-transgender-child-choose-gender-23954641
Gender Identity and the DSM
- Present a slide with the diagnostic criteria for Gender Identity Disorder alongside the new diagnostic criteria for Gender Dysphoria
- Think-Pair-Share: what are the differences/similarities and why may certain things have been changed
- Discuss as a class the changes made and the possible sociocultural reasons these changes were lobbied for
- Discuss the DSM and the repercussions of pathologizing gender
