Women's Lives: A Psychological Exploration

by Claire A. Etaugh, Judith S. Bridges

Overview

Women’s Lives integrates the most current research and social issues to explore the psychological diversity of girls and women varying in age, ethnicity, social class, nationality, immigrant experience, sexual orientation, gender identity, ableness and body size and shape. The text embeds a lifespan perspective within each topical chapter and has an intersectional approach that integrates women’s diverse identities. It includes rich coverage of women with disabilities and on middle-aged and older women throughout. Taking a deeper transnational focus, it also examines the impact of social, cultural, and economic factors in shaping women’s lives around the world.

This edition explores the latest areas of research and tackles important contemporary topics such as:

• feminization of immigration
• media portrayals of LGBTQ individuals and immigrants
• regulating testosterone levels in women’s sports; disorders of sexual development; nonbinary identity
• the effects of social media on body image; sizeism
• new classification of sexual disorders
• menstrual equity and the "tampon tax"
• migrant women as transnational mothers
• academic environment for low-income, ethnic minority, and immigrant women
• effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on women’s employment and work-family balance
• the dilemma of unpredictable work hours
• healthcare barriers experienced by immigrant women and LGBTQ individuals
• #MeToo movement; vigilante gender violence
• the fourth wave of feminism
• the role of immigrant women and ethinc minority women in grassroots feminist activism
• men’s support of feminist issues and more

Boasting a new full-color design and rich with pedagogy, the book includes several boxed elements in each chapter. "In The News" boxes present current news items designed to engage students in thinking critically about current gender-focused events and issues. The "What You Can Do" boxes give students examples of applied activities that they can engage in to promote a more egalitarian society. "Get Involved" boxes ask students to collect data and to critically think about the explanations and implications of the activity’s findings. "Learn About the Research" boxes expose students to a variety of research methods and highlight the importance of diversity in research samples by including studies of underrepresented groups. At the end of each chapter, "What Do You Think" questions foster skills in critical thinking, synthesis, and evaluation by asking the student to apply course material or personal experiences to provocative issues from the chapter. The "If You Want to Learn More" feature provides names of the most current books available on various topics that are discussed in the chapter. Combining up-to-date research with an approachable and engaging writing style, Women’s Lives is an invaluable resource for all students of gender from psychology, women’s studies, gender studies, sociology, and anthropology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781000481488
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	02/24/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	490
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Claire A. Etaugh, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Bradley University, has taught Psychology of Women courses for more than 35 years. Her research on women and gender has been published in several journals including Psychology of Women Quarterly, Sex Roles, Developmental Psychology, and American Psychologist, and in several book chapters.

Judith S. Bridges, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Connecticut, taught Psychology of Women courses for many years. Her research on women and gender has been published in numerous journals including Psychology of Women Quarterly and Sex Roles.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Psychology of Women. 2. Cultural Representation of Gender. 3. Gender Self-Concept and Gender Attitudes. 4. Infancy, Childhood, and Adolescence. 5. Gender Comparisons. 6. Sexuality. 7. Reproductive System and Childbearing. 8. Relationships. 9. Education and Achievement. 10. Employment. 11. Balancing Family and Work. 12. Physical Health. 13. Mental Health. 14. Violence Against Girls and Women. 15. A Feminist Future: Goals, Actions, and Beliefs. 16. References.

Editorial Reviews

‘Etaugh and Bridges once again bring a valuable lifespan perspective to the study of the behavior and psychological experience of women. It is one of the most compelling aspects of their treatment of the psychology of women and they sensitively and expertly explore this perspective across women and girls diverse in social class, race, ethnicity, ability, national origin, and sexual orientation and identity.’ - Donna Castañeda, San Diego State University-Imperial Valley, USA

‘This is a very engaging and comprehensive textbook. One of its strengths is that the psychology of women is explored from varying cultural perspectives (such as sexual orientation, age, ableness and socio-economic status) within a lens of intersectionality. Many features can be used for class discussions and course assignments.’ - Sonya Corbin Dwyer, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada

‘Etaugh and Bridges present a thorough, balanced, global perspective on women that is grounded in research. In addition to presenting current information, the authors use pedagogical tools that students will find both engaging and informative. The lifespan approach within each chapter allows readers to delve into topics and issues as they are experienced by women of all ages.’ - Robin Kowalski, Clemson University, USA

From the Publisher