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Book Review: Gender: Psychological Perspectives (6th ed.) and Psychology of Gender (4th ed.)
Michele Hoffnung Psychology of Women Quarterly 2012 36: 508 DOI: 10.1177/0361684312446794 The online version of this article can be found at: http://pwq.sagepub.com/content/36/4/508

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508 Etaugh and Bridges write in an engaging and personal way that helps students connect to the presentation of material. Their use of vignettes and quotes enrich the chapters. Consistent with feminist values, the authors effectively use first person to reduce the hierarchy of relationships between authors and students. And, their own seasoned facility with issues relevant to the psychology of women is evident from their clear and succinct coverage of them. The use of pedagogical tools is also quite effective in fostering active learning and helping students relate to the material; in particular, the new addition of chapter sections, What You Can Do, helps students understand activism more broadly and encourages them to get involved in making changes. Like in their previous editions, they offer an approach that many other textbooks in this area neglectone that covers the life span of women. They do this topically rather than devoting individual chapters to women at different stages of development, which illustrates the unique issues faced by women at different points in their lives. This is a refreshing change from other texts in the area, and it is probably the greatest strength of the textbook. Another advantage is that they discuss diversity more broadly than other textbooks, including information on women with disabilities in most chapters, which is rarely done. They provide a more comprehensive and well-integrated treatment of sexual orientation than many other textbooks in the field. They attempt to incorporate the growing body of literature on ethnic minority women in all chapters; but, their presentation suffers from what the field itself suffers fromnot enough research devoted to the rich subcultures that exist within groups. Like most other textbooks, they focus on the traditional groupings of ethnic minority women, including Blacks, Native Americans, Latinas, and Asian Americans, which may oversimplify the complexities of the differences within

Psychology of Women Quarterly 36(4) these broad cultural groups. Their inclusion of research on women from other cultures in the Explore Other Cultures sections is an asset, and I suspect as this field of research grows, so too will their coverage of these topics in subsequent editions of the textbook. The authors approach diversity with an intersectional approach; however, the full meaning of how each component of diversity (e.g., class, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, and nationality) truly intersects is somewhat vague, which again may be mostly a result of a lack of research that examines these complex issues fully. Although discussion of diverse girls and women is well integrated in most chapters, there are still some instances where the Eurocentric bias that has permeated research on women for decades persists as the authors make comparisons to the White norm. Similar to other textbooks in this area, the authors use a feminist perspective; however, their discussion of feminism could be expanded. For example, one addition to the description of feminism and the movement that may make the rest of their presentation of feminism more palatable to some students is to include the perspective of the movement as seeking equality for all people, regardless of gender. Additionally, because the textbook presupposes no prior knowledge of psychology, a more extensive discussion of how the feminist perspective differs from traditional psychological approaches to women may be necessary. Overall, despite a few minor shortcomings, the strengths of this text make it an excellent choice for an introductory textbook on the psychology of women. Bio
Ayesha Shaikh, PhD, is an associate professor and chair of psychology at Whittier College. She is a licensed clinical psychologist.

Linda Brannon (2011) Gender: Psychological Perspectives (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. 560 pp. $118.20 (paperback). ISBN 9780205001651. Vicki S. Helgeson (2011) Psychology of Gender (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. 656 pp. $128.00 (paperback). ISBN 9780205050185. Reviewed by: Michele Hoffnung, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT DOI: 10.1177/0361684312446794

Being asked to review the new editions of Linda Brannons Gender: Psychological Perspectives and Vicki S. Helgesons Psychology of Gender motivated me to consider once again the issues that spurred the development of psychology of women courses in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In that era,

topics of special concern to womens experience, such as pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and violence against women, were absent from traditional courses. In addition, discussions of topics that applied to both genders, such as leadership or retirement, were presented from a male perspective and were often based upon evidence gathered exclusively from men. Psychology of women was a course designed to put research about girls and womens experiences firmly at its center. To do that, it challenged the gender-neutrality of the research enterprise and raised awareness of social constraints on both women and men. To focus on women, the course had to teach about gender, which typically led to discussions of race, class, and sexual orientation. Several decades later, some departments have replaced psychology of women with psychology of gender. This change implies that we are past needing to pay special

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Else-Quest et al. attention to women and can present the full human picture in a gender course. This change also represents an effort to appeal to male undergraduates, at a time when few of them enroll in psychology of women. (When I taught psychology of women during the 1970s, both women and men eagerly enrolled. My current class has no men.) Given these developments, I looked to see how these gender texts present issues that are of particular importance to understanding the female experience. In all textbooks, I expect up-to-date references to studies that are explained fully enough for students to understand how the conclusions were drawn. I want students to explore how we know what we know, to learn to identify bias, and to understand that different research approaches often yield different results. These methodological concerns are especially important in the area of gender research because students typically believe that they already know about women and men. In addition, I look for contrasting points of view. I do not wish students to be presented with simple answers about complex human experience. I want them to consider the various ways that data can be collected and interpreted, as well as to be skeptical. Linda Brannons Gender: Psychological Perspectives has a relatively conventional organization of the material. Her chapter Researching Sex and Gender includes a good presentation of how research is done and the many ways biases creep into gender research. Her thorough chapter on biology, Hormones and Chromosomes, includes an explanation of the menstrual cycle and a critical appraisal of premenstrual syndrome, as well as the impact of testosterone levels. This chapter serves as an example of how using the gender approach can maintain the focus on topics that are particular to women and broaden it to include information about men. Brannon makes some unconventional choices. Her chapter Emotion organizes information about emotionality, aggression, attachment, and nurturing in an interesting and unusual way. Nonetheless, relegating the topic of sexual violence as a subsection of this chapter underplays its importance to understanding the experience of gender in contemporary society. She devotes two chapters to mental health: one focuses on stress, coping, and psychopathology and the other on treatments. That is a lot of coverage within the time span of a semester. She ends up with 16 chapters; yet, there are none about pregnancy/childbirth/motherhood, violence against women, and midlife and later adulthood. I understand that these would need to be reframed with titles about parenting and gender-related violence, but I believe doing so is essential if psychology of gender is to replace psychology of women. As the book stands, menopause is not in the subject index; pregnancy and childbirth fill one page of the health and fitness chapter. Pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, and the transition to parenting are major life events for fathers as well as for mothers (for more about this point, see Hoffnung, 2011). To reduce them to a paragraph is to miss an important educational opportunity.

509 In contrast, Vicki S. Helgesons Psychology of Gender says in the Preface that it will discuss gender primarily within the context of relationships and health. These topics are of great interest to students and are consistent with Helgesons research interests. In actuality, those topics are confined to the last four chapters of the text. The first six are relatively standard chapters (Introduction, Methods and History, Gender-Role Attitudes, Sex-Related Comparisons: Observations, Sex-Related Observations: Theory, Achievement). I assume this is because not every topic that needs to be covered fits neatly into her framework. My problem with Helgesons presentation is not with the organization, but with the exclusion of important topics. Family is a primary aspect of human relationships, but it is missing from this book that focuses specifically on gender in the context of relationships. Pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health are not included. There is little mention of parenting. The short section called Parenting and Health provides little evidence and is based on very few studies. For example, she cites one study that says having children at home leads to lower satisfaction among U.S. women. What about the studies which indicate that family roles add to life satisfaction? There is no mention of menstruation, and condom use is relegated to a boxed feature. In fact, the only presentation of puberty or adolescence is as a subsection of the chapter on mental health. Aside from the missing topics, Helgesons presentation sometimes seems light on evidence. Little relevant research is cited and not enough effort is made to include contrasting points of view. I hate to be writing about this shortcoming for a text successful enough to be in its fourth edition. For example, among the terms she defines in her opening chapter is intersex. Intersex persons are those who are born with ambiguous genitals; these persons typically have surgery to alter their genitals so they can be consistent biologically (p. 7). Although it is true that most American surgeons recommend surgery, some intersex adults and advocates argue that children should not be surgically forced into one sex or the other before they are old enough to know what sex they feel like and can make their own decisions about body alterations that have such serious implications. I believe professors are called upon to complicate issues like this one and thus to make students think. In a course about gender, intersex could be used as a tool to understand cultural forces and to make prospective parents more sensitive to developmental differences among children. Each of these texts has interesting features. In every chapter, Helgeson includes several Do Gender boxes, each of which suggests a data-gathering project. Most, but not all, provide enough direction for students to try them on their own. Brannon includes several boxes in each chapter: Headline, Gendered Voices, and (side-by-side) According to the Media, and According to Research. All of these will catch students attention and add perspective. Each of these textbooks has strengths. Brannons book is very well written and uses current research to support her points.

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510 Each chapter ends with an engaging Considering Diversity section. Brannons chapter Sexuality is a particularly good example of the benefits of the gender perspective because it clearly compares and contrasts male and female anatomy, attitudes, and experience. Helgesons text combines sociological and psychological approaches in very advantageous ways. Her chapter Sex Differences in Health: Evidence and Explanations, for example, discusses morbidity and mortality statistics, as well as health behaviors. And it clearly emphasizes that apparent gender differences may be due to the artifacts of confounding variables, such as socioeconomic status. Both books do a good job with many topics, but I do hope future editions will have better coverage of womens unique

Psychology of Women Quarterly 36(4) concerns. Otherwise, I think the change from psychology of women to psychology of gender will be a step backward rather than a step forward. Reference
Hoffnung, M. (2011). Teaching about motherhood: Revisioning family. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 35, 327330. doi:10. 1177/0361684311401824

Bio
Michele Hoffnung, PhD, is a professor of psychology at the Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut.

Janice D. Yoder Women and Gender: Making a Difference (4th ed.). New York, NY: Sloan Publishing, 2013. 532 pp. $84.95 (paperback). ISBN: 1597380407 Reviewed by: Taryn A. Myers, Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk, VA DOI: 10.1177/0361684312456301

For those who teach undergraduate courses such as Psychology of Women or Psychology of Gender, it is often difficult to find a textbook that is engaging to students and also includes cutting-edge research findings from the science of psychology. The fourth edition of Yoders Women and Gender: Making a Difference manages to meet both of these needs while being extremely readable and informative for both student and professor alike. Yoders text, the previous edition of which was published in 2007, has been an excellent option for coursework for years, and this recent edition is no exception. Yoders increased focus on a social justice approach to issues related to the psychology of women make this edition even more applicable to university courses where service-learning and other active-learning activities are becoming increasingly popular. Other useful additions include an emphasis on the updated principles for feminist psychotherapy created by a joint task force of members of American Psychological Association Divisions 17 and 35, cutting-edge information about intersexuality, and incorporation of research from the fields of body image, objectification theory, and ambivalent sexism. The clear explanations of novel findings from extremely recent studies throughout the book are particularly helpful. Most citations in the book are now from the last decade of work, ensuring that students receive up-to-date information about topics where new information provides a more holistic and inclusionary view. The book is very user-friendly, with information clearly explained in language appropriate for even first-year and sophomore students. Boxes in each chapter are helpful and

thought-provoking, making them excellent potential jumping-off points for class discussion. However, sometimes placement of the boxes in the chapter is far from the location where the topics are discussed in the text, disrupting continuity. The book is written to engage the reader at all times, as Yoder includes anecdotes from her own experiences as a woman, scholar, and parent throughout the book. She also grabs the readers interest with powerful vignettes, like those that begin Chapter 13s discussion of violence against women, and statements that challenge, such as a brain teaser about the surgeon that leads into Chapter 7s discussion of sexism. This text also challenges the reader to explore topics further. Each chapter ends not only with a list of suggested readings but a brief explanation as to why each is recommended, making connections for students who may otherwise ignore such helpful lists. In reading this book, it is clear that Yoder draws on her own experience as a researcher, professor, and editor. For example, in Chapter 1, she seems to anticipate the types of questions and arguments often encountered when concepts such as oppression and inequality are introduced in the classroom, such as What about sexism against men? and What about racism? The inclusion of these issues in the initial chapter reflects the wisdom of someone who has encountered these arguments previously. Chapter 2 also includes a frank, noholds-barred discussion of the problems in the field of psychology regarding how psychologists have traditionally treated both the topic of gender and female academics and clinicians. There are two minor concerns with this text. First, the material about balancing multiple roles is divided into Chapter 8, which explores close relationships, and Chapter 9, which examines work-related issues. This division seems to further emphasize, rather than continue to challenge, the conflict between work and home life for women. Second, although it is discussed later in Chapter 13, the omission of any reference to sexual harassment in Chapter 9s treatment of sexist discrimination seemed problematic. However, for every small issue to be found with the text, there

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