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Women and Psychology
Basic Resources: APA, Feminist
Therapy Institute, Lexicon
Feminist Psychology: Articles
and Sites
1. Childhood & Adolescence: Gender and Identity
2. Childhood & Adolescence: Psychosocial
& Cognitive Development and the Menstrual Cycle
3. Body Image, Anorexia, Bulimia
4. Gender and Violence
5. Childbearing
6. Adulthood: Interpersonal Issues
7. Adulthood: Employment, Balancing Family and Work
8. Aging: The Older Woman Worker
9. Menopause and Retirement
10. Women and Aging
American Psychological Association
<the professional psychologist’s homepage.
http://www.apa.org/
APA Topic: Women & Men
<This American Psychological Association page includes numerous links to recent
research on women and men; it includes recent press releases, psychology news,
Monitor on Psychology essays, books & videos, journals, and internal APA
resources on women and men.
http://www.apa.org/topics/topicwomenmen.html
Feminist Therapy Institute Code of Ethics
<key principles governing a feminist approach to therapy
http://www.feministtherapyinstitute.org/ethics.htm
Psychology Lexicon
<an online site for definition of terms in psychology. This is an adequate
source, but
students should seek out authoritative definitions in The APA Dictionary of
Psychology,
ed. Gary R. VandenBos.
http://www.psychology-lexicon.com/
Feminist Psychology: Articles and Sites
Black American Feminisms: A Multidisciplinary Bibliography: Psychology
<A comprehensive list of resources on African American women and psychology.
http://www.library.ucsb.edu/subjects/blackfeminism/soc_psych.html
Facing Off: Postmodern/Feminism
<Article by Mary Gergen explores the relationship between feminist evaluative
analysis of “societal positionings” and postmodern “collapsing of
foundationalist premises” in this highly theoretical approach to contemporary
feminist critical thinking.
http://www.taosinstitute.net/manuscripts/facingoff.html
Feminist Psychology
<includes links describing Freudian biases against women, six principles of
feminist psychology,
and a brief bibliography.
http://www.webrenovators.com/psych/FeministPsychology.htm
Feminist Psychology and Psychoanalysis
<Virginia Tech bibliography of key articles and books, with links to pages on
major feminist thinkers in the field of psychology. Copyright © 1999 Kristin
Switala.
http://www.cddc.vt.edu/feminism/psy.html
From Difference to Holism
<Ma. Del Carmen Garcia Aguilar’s essay (trans. Mandy Skinner and Jackie Mosio)
explores holistic feminism as psychology.
http://www.globaljusticecenter.org/papers2005/garcia_aguilar_eng.htm
The Future of Feminist Therapy: Bibliography
<Bibliography developed by the students of PP8010 (Feminist Therapy) at Argosy
University Seattle, Spring 2005. (pdf document)
http://www.drlaurabrown.com/doc/The_Future_of_Feminist_Therapy_Bibliography.pdf
Nancy Chodorow
<Overview biography and thought of a key proponent of feminist psychoanalysis
http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/chodorow.html
Postmodernity and the Politics of Feminist Psychology
<Article by Alexa Hepburn, published in Radical Psychology 1.2 (Fall 1999).
http://www.radpsynet.org/journal/vol1-2/hepburn.html
Power, Resistance and Science
<Article by Naomi Weisstein comments on her earlier work, “Psychology Constructs
the Female, or the Fantasy Life of the Male Psychologist,” exploring the
psychological ramifications of male power and female resistance, exploring the
effects of postmodernism on feminism, and claiming that the sciences are not
inherently “male” or “female.” Published in New Politics 6.2 (Winter, 1997).
http://www.wpunj.edu/newpol/issue22/weisst22.htm
1. Childhood and Adolescence: Gender and Identity
Gender and Sexuality (AmoebaWeb)
<Vanguard University’s Douglas Degelman maintains this website, which features a
wide variety of articles on gender and sexuality.
http://www.vanguard.edu/faculty/ddegelman/amoebaweb/index.aspx?doc_id=861
Girls and Relational Aggression
<Reviewing Odd Girl Out, Elaine Cassel explores the gendered differences in the
ways boys and girls show their aggression toward children of the same sex.
http://college.hmco.com/psychology/resources/students/shelves/shelves_20020905.html
Joining the Resistance: Psychology, Politics, Girls, and Women (Carol
Gilligan)
<Carol Gilligan’s 1990 lecture at the University of Michigan explores the point
in adolescence “when girls’ desire for relationships and for knowledge comes up
against the wall of Western culture and a resistance breaks out,” a point she
claims is “potentially of great human value”
because it teaches young women to be skeptical of dominant cultural claims and
thus contributes to psychological development.
http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/Gilligan_91.pdf
Lesbian Youth
<This Lesbian.com site presents links to resources and psychological support for
lesbian teens and for young lesbians of color, but it also has links for
lesbians at every stage of life.
http://www.lesbian.com/youth/youth_intro.html
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: Youth
<This site provides resources on glbtq youth and homelessness, harassment and
alienation, and exposes anti-gay initiatives.
http://www.thetaskforce.org/issues/youth
Psychology of Gender Identity & Transgenderism
http://www.genderpsychology.org/
Psychology of Gender Links
<This U of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southernmost College site is divided
into the following categories: study of gender, researching gender, hormones and
chromosomes, intelligence and mental abilities, gender development, gender
identity, stereotypes, communication and media, emotions, relationships,
sexuality, etc.
http://blue.utb.edu/ecantu/Psyc%204312/GenderDefault.htm
2. Childhood and Adolescence: Psychosocial & Cognitive Development, and the Menstrual Cycle
Child Development & Parenting Information
<Information on child development, child psychology, parenting, learning, health
and safety as well as childhood disorders such as attention deficit disorder,
dyslexia and autism.
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/
Child Development: Vulnerability and Resilience
<This essay by Patrice L. Engle, Sarah Castle, and Purnima Menon explores
nutritional risks, family dynamics and forms, and the effects of violence on
children as factors contributing to vulnerability and risk, as well as their
effects on the resilience of children.
http://www.ifpri.org/divs/fcnd/dp/papers/dp12.pdf
Child Maltreatment and Its Impact on Psychosocial Development: Comments on
Pollak, Toth and Cicchetti, and Trocmé.
<Article by R. Kim Oates, MD, FRACP discusses the prevention of child
maltreatment (abuse/neglect, examining the research of those named in the
subtitle.
http://www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca/documents/OatesANGxp.pdf
Child Sexual Abuse
Medline Plus site features multiple links for victims, including a link to the
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, as well as links involving
the basics of child sexual abuse, research, reference, and others.
http://www.nim.nih.gov/medlineplus/childsexualabuse.html
Dealing with PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
<Carol E. Watkins MD maintains this site, which defines PMS and explores
available treatments for it.
http://www.ncpamd.com/PMS.htm
Developmental Psychology Links by Subtopic
<Includes links related to infancy, adoption, childhood development, child
protection, parenting,
adolescence, etc.
http://www.socialpsychology.org/develop.htm
Female Hormones, Reward, and Mood
<This 2007 World of Psychology article by Sandra Klume “shows how changes in
hormones during the menstrual cycle affect how women feel pleasure and reward.”
http://www.psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2007/02/12/female-hormones-reward-and-mood/
Guide to Understanding Female Adolescents’ Substance Abuse: Gender and
Ethnic Considerations for Prevention and Treatment Policy
http://www.girlpower.gov/press/research/FemaleAdolescentsGuideBacker110201.pdf
Influence of the Menstrual Cycle on the Female Brain
<This 2007 Science Daily article provides recent conclusions from a study
exploring the effects of menstrual changes on the female brain, “an important
step in better comprehension of certain psychiatric and neurological
pathologies.”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070210185849.htm
Joining the Resistance: Psychology, Politics, Girls, and Women (Carol
Gilligan)
<Carol Gilligan’s 1990 lecture at the University of Michigan explores the point
in adolescence “when girls’ desire for relationships and for knowledge comes up
against the wall of Western culture and a resistance breaks out,” a point she
claims is “potentially of great human value”
because it teaches young women to be skeptical of dominant cultural claims and
thus contributes to psychological development.
http://www.tannerlectures.utah.edu/lectures/Gilligan_91.pdf
Menstrual Cycles: What Really Happens in those 28 Days?
<This Feminist Women’s Health Center article explains the entire menstrual
cycle, including not only the basic biology of menstruation, but also presenting
options re cramping, sections on PMS, myths about menstruation, menopause,
alternatives for handling menstrual flow, Native American (Lakota) understanding
of menstruation, and—importantly—resources and links.
http://www.fwhc.org/health/moon.htm
Menstruation: A List of Sources (Parts I and II)
<This Women’s Listserv bibliography lists quite a number of sources for the
medical and psychological aspects of menstruation.
http://research.umbc.edu/~korenman/wmst/menstruation1.html
http://www.research.umbc.edu/~korenman/wmst/menstruation2.html
Premenstrual Syndrome
<This Mayo Clinic page defines PMS, presents signs and symptoms, explores
causes, when to seek medical advice, and the process of screening, diagnosis,
treatment, as well as self-care options and complementary and alternative
medicine options.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/premenstrual-syndrome/DS00134
Research, Studies, & Statistics About Girls: Related Surveys, Studies, and
Reports
<This site has a wide variety of links to sites exploring everything from “what
we know and what we need to know about growing up female,” to current problems
with girls and anabolic steroids, drinking, substance abuse, “measuring up to
media images,” to the national campaign to prevent teen pregnancy, effects of
physical activity and sport in the lives of girls. Many more.
http://www.girlpower.gov/press/research/studies.htm
Sexualization of Girls is Linked to Common Mental Health Problems in Girls
and Women—Eating Disorders, Low Self-Esteem, and Depression
<An APA task force report calls for replacing sexualized images of girls in
media and advertising with positive ones.
http://www.apa.org/releases/sexualization.html
Socioemotional Development
<Site begins with Erikson’s stages of socioemotional development, and extends to
Bingham and Stryker’s 1995 findings that girls and women have somewhat different
stages of socio-emotional development from boys and men. Site features a chart
of “Stages of Socio-emotional Development for Girls” and lists the eight skills
Suzanne Kobasa Ouellette sees as necessary for the development of a “hardy
personality.” Includes book references for girls’ development.
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/affsys/erikson.html
Violence Against Girls & Women
<This site defines the problem gender-based violence and explores the “culture
of silence” associated with it In addition, there are links to many other pages
connected with the topic.
http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/violence/intro.htm
3. Adolescence: Body Image, Anorexia, and Bulimia
Anorexia Nervosa
http://www.medicinenet.com/anorexia_nervosa/article.htm
Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms
http://www.psychcentral.com/disorders/sx2.htm
Beauty and Body Image in the Media
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/women_and_girls/women_beauty.cfm
Body Image
<This dmoz open directory project page has links to numerous sites exploring the
psychology of body image in adolescent girls, ranging from body dysmorphic
disorder, media pressures, anorexia, and sites exploring the influence of
Barbie, “bOObs: A Guide to Your Girls, as well as therapies associated with body
image problems.
http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Issues/Health/Body_Image/
Body Image (from Our Bodies Our Selves)
http://www.ourbodiesourselves.org/book/excerpt.asp?id=2
Body Image and Self-Esteem
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/body_image/body_image.html
Body Positive: Boosting body image at any weight
<a page for parents, professionals, with resources and an activism page
http://www.bodypositive.com
Bulimia Nervosa
<a well-organized site with links for every section.
http://www.mentalhealth.com/dis/p20-et02.html
Bulimia Nervosa (Mayo Clinic)
<the famed clinic’s site on bulimia.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bulimia/DS00607
Cultural Influences on Eating Disorders
http://www.mamashealth.com/eat/cultural.asp
Media’s Effect on Girls: Body Image and Gender Identity
http://www.mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mediaeffect.shtml
Undergraduate Research Guide: Body Image
<with databases, links, etc.
http://college.library.wisc.edu/resources/subject_guides/bodyimage.htm
Women’s Body Image
http://www.wellesley.edu/Health/BodyImage/
Date Rape
TeensHealth article on date rape, with sections on protecting yourself and
getting help.
http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/problems/date_rape.html
Perspectives on Acquaintance Rape
<American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress discussion on acquaintance rape
by David G. Curtis, a clinical associate at Long Island Psychological
Associates, P.C.
http://www.aaets.org/article13.htm
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
<National Institute of Mental Health homepage site provides information on PTSD,
a major problem for victims of gender violence.
http://www.nimh.gov/healthinformation/ptsdmenu.cfm
RAINN: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
<The nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization, helping victims and
ensuring that rapists are brought to justice.
http://www.rainn.org/
Rape Recovery Center
<an excellent site with advice and information for victims.
http://www.raperecoverycenter.org
Stop Violence Against Women
<Amnesty International fact sheet details International Human Rights Standards
as they apply to women.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/women/economicrights.html
Violence Against Girls & Women
<This site defines the problem gender-based violence and explores the “culture
of silence” associated with it In addition, there are links to many other pages
connected with the topic.
http://www.unfpa.org/intercenter/violence/intro.htm
Birth Psychology
<site features numerous articles on each stage of pregnancy, focusing on both
mother and child.
http://www.birthpsychology.com
Breastfeeding
<Medline Plus page features articles on breastfeeding, but also presents
conditions under which mothers should not breastfeed.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastfeeding.html
Breastfeeding—Best for Baby. Best for Mom
<US Department of Health and Human Services site presents findings on the
benefits of breastfeeding.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=home
C-section: Birth and the road to recovery
<This Mayo Clinic article discusses Caesarian birth and recovery in a
step-by-step way.
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/library/PR/00101.html
C-section: When is it the best option?
<This Mayo Clinic page explores the reasons for caesarian birth, possible
complications, and managing anxiety about caesarian birth.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-section/PR00078
Dealing Emotionally with Miscarriage
<This site shows ways of coping with miscarriage
http://www.womenshealth.co.uk/miscarr.htm
Depression During and After Pregnancy
<US Department of Health and Human Services page answers eight questions on
depression during and after pregnancy.
http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/postpartum.htm
Fetal Psychology
<This Psychology Today article by Janet L. Hopson explores fetal developmental
psychology during the entire period of gestation.
http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/tul/psychtoday9809.html
Miscarriage
<This page presents a comprehensive discussion of miscarriage, why it occurs,
the kinds of miscarriage, how to prevent it, and coping with one’s emotions
after a miscarriage, with links.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/miscarriage.html
Mother-in-Law: Friend or Foe?
<Jill Eggleton Brett’s article explores both the dilemmas and promise posed by
one’s mother-in-law when a new baby comes into the house. With links on new
parenting, growing up with grandparents, grandparents and toddlers, etc.
http://www.babiestoday.com/resources/articles/mominlaw.htm
Post-partum Depression
<This page features numerous links on post-partum depression.
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.post-partum.html
Pregnancy Center at the Mayo Clinic
<Comprehensive site on pregnancy and childbearing.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pregnancy/PR99999
Pregnancy and Depression
<Sandra Klume’s 2006 Newsweek article. “Not Always ‘the Happiest Time’:
Pregnancy and depression: a new understanding of a difficult—and often
hidden—problem” explores the necessity of treating a mother’s depression because
“a mother’s mental health directly affects the mental health of her children.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12321428/site/newsweek/
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
<Medline Plus page defines SIDS and offers numerous sites to clarify what it is
and how to prevent it, as well as research, journal articles, statistics and,
most importantly, coping with it.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/suddeninfantdeathsyndrome.html
Understanding Psychological Changes during Pregnancy
<Elizabeth Eden, M.D., explores the psychological changes of each trimester, as
well as the psychology of the father.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/understanding-psychological-changes-during-pregnancy.htm
6. Adulthood: Interpersonal Issues
APA Division 44: Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, and
Bisexual Issues
<This URL will take you to a wide variety of LGBTQ resources.
http://www.apadivision44.org/resources/
Communication Differences in Interpersonal Relationships
<This Ohio State University Fact Sheet by Cynthia Burggraf Torppa explores the
problem of how we talk across the gender line.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm02/pdf/FS04.pdf
Dating, Relationships, and Reality
<WebMD site with lots of links.
http://www.webmd.com/solutions/sc/relationships
Gender and Communication—Finding Common Ground
<This U. S. Coast Guard essay by Dee Norton explores how women and men
misunderstand each other in communication, and ways to avoid the problem in this
military culture.
http://www.uscg.mil/leadership/gender.htm
Gender Differences in the Exchange of Social Support with Friends,
Neighbors, and Coworkers at Midlife
<A 40 page article (pdf) by Carolyn A. Liebler and Gary D. Sandefur presents
2002 findings on friendship in our divorce-riddled and mobile age.
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cde/cdewp/2001-12.pdf
Gender Patterns in Friendships
<This Syracuse University essay by Rannveig Traustadottir provides findings on
gender patterns in a variety of friendships.
http://thechp.syr.edu/genpat.htm
Gender Styles in Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC)
<This Georgetown University site presents findings supporting Tannen’s research
on gender
styles as seen in computer-mediated communication; it includes links to other
gender/
communication sites at Georgetown.
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/bassr/githens/cmc.htm
Marriage Psychology
This website features a group of essays on martial issues ranging from
infidelity to listening,
counseling to divorce.
http://www.psychology.org/links/Environment_Behavior_Relationships/Marriage/
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
<This site is a major resource for initiatives on behalf of the lgbtq community.
http://www.thetaskforce.org/
Single Parent Community
<This site addresses many of the issues faced by divorced and single parents.
http://www.wholefamily.com/parent_center/bridge_pages/single_parents.html
7. Adulthood: Employment, Balancing Family and Work
Institute for Women and Work
<Research on this Cornell University site explores issues as varied as family
and medical leave,
non-traditional employment, and presents data on women in the labor force.
http://www.ilr.cornell.edu/iww/
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
<”strengthening families, communities, and societies”: research on women’s
economic status at work and the effects on families.
http://www.iwpr.org/Work/Research_work.htm
National Partnership for Women and Families
<This activist site presents information on major job-related issues as they
affect women and families.
http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer
Women, Work, and Family Health: A Balancing Act
<This Kaiser Family Foundation site explores the problem of women working and
serving as primary caregivers in families, and its effect on the family and on
the woman’s health.
http://www.kff.org/womenshealth/3336-index.cfm
Work, Family, Disabilities, and Economic Security
<This National Research Center for Women and Families site presents the article
named above, but it also has links to articles on women with disabilities, women
and social security, and a survival guide for working moms, in addition to other
resources.
http://www.center4research.org/wwf1.html
8. Aging: The Older Woman Worker
Institute for Women’s Policy Research
<”strengthening families, communities, and societies” ”: research on women’s
economic status at work and the effects on families.
http://www.iwpr.org/Work/Research_work.htm
Older Women and Work
<This National Center on Women & Aging essay provides information on the current
and future labor force status of older women workers.
http://iasp.brandeis.edu/womenandaging/work.htm
Older Women Workers—Ages 55 and older
<U.S. Department of Labor site presents statistics on older women workers, with
links to government documents on issues facing older women workers.
http://www.dol.gov/wb/factsheets/Qf-olderworkers55.htm
Older Workers Are More Likely to Stay on the Job When They Have Control
<This Families and Work Institute essay explores the dilemmas of older workers,
but it also zeroes in on the problems particular to older women workers,
exploring the many disadvantages
they face on the job.
http://www.familiesandwork.org/site/newsroom/releases/BCFWIrelease.html
About Depression: Menopause
<This University of Michigan Depression Center page explores depression as one
aspect of menopause, with proactive ways to address it, and references list.
http://med.umich.edu/depression/menopause.htm
Grandmothering, menopause, and the evolution of human life histories
<This article by Hawkes, O’Connell, Blurton Jones, Alvarez, and Charnov explores
life patterns specific to humans, and notes that Grandmothering has a function
in this process, and could as well could “slow aging by either means. It would
strengthen selection against late-acting deleterious mutations by increasing the
contribution to descendant gene pools of longer-lived females through the
increased reproductive success of their daughters. It would also change the
tradeoffs between opposing effects expressed at different ages.”
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/95/3/1336
Menopause—Mayo Clinic
<The famous clinic’s introduction to menopause: signs and symptoms, causes, risk
factors, and when to seek medical attention.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menopause/DS00119
Menopause Online
<comprehensive site with numerous links to topics related to menopause.
http://www.menopause-online.com/
WedMD Menopause Center
<comprehensive site with numerous links to topics related to menopause; special
feature is the online glossary of medical terms related to menopause.
http://www.webmd.com/menopause/default.htm
Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement
<This page references major issues associated with retirement, including not
only the questions of economic security, but also divorce and widowhood,
caregiving, retirement plans, and research sources dedicated to women’s
retirement.
http://www.wiser.heinz.org/portal/
First Year of Widowhood Most Harmful to Mental Health
<This 2003 APA press release on a study of 70,000 widows explains that the first
year of widowhood is the most difficult, but that “as time passed, the women’s
mental health improved.”
http://www.apa.org/releases/widowhood.html
National Program on Women & Aging
<This page has many links to articles on women and aging, notably a few on
ethnicity and race in nursing homes and in cancer prevention and treatment.
http://iasp.brandeis.edu/womenandaging/research.htm
Older Women’s League (OWL): Older Women’s Mental Health Week
<This page provides links to articles on the issue of older women and mental
health.
http://www.owl-national.org/mentalhealthweek/policies.html
Widowhood: help in coping and understanding
<Site explores states of mind associated with coping with being a widow.
http://momo.essortment.com/widowhood_ruyv.htm
Women & Long-Term Care
<This AARP research report presents information on the need for older women to
have long-term care, their ability to pay for it, and the situation of women as
care providers for elders.
http://www.aarp.org/research/longtermcare/trends/fs77r_ltc.html
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