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4. In a course on mass media history, the professor shows the film “Empire of the Air:
The Men Who Made Radio,” which ascribes the entire development of radio to three
men: David Sarnoff, Lee DeForest, and Edwin Armstrong, ignoring the contributions of
women and minorities to the development of the medium. This is an example of what?
A. gender stereotyped curriculum
B. invisible hand discrimination
C. gender stereotyped discrimination
D. hidden discrimination
E. none of the above
5. Carolyn is a brilliant, but strict teacher who smiles rarely and is a tough grader. During
a review, her department chair tells her she should warm up to the students and offer
them more emotional support. Which of the following terms best describes the
department chair’s evaluation of how Carolyn should act?
A. hidden curriculum
B. hidden hand discrimination
C. invisible hand discrimination
D. invisible curriculum
E. none of the above
6. Which of the following is true about Title IX?
A. All U.S. schools must abide by the rules of Title IX.
B. Title IX has led to a decrease in athletic programs for men.
C. Title IX bans sex discrimination only in athletics.
D. Most Americans approve of Title IX.
E. Because of Title IX, male and female student athletes receive an equal number of
scholarship dollars.
7. Which of the following is a challenge gender-nonconforming students often face?
A. The binary norm that force students into male or female categories.
B. Pressure to be self-reliant and not ask questions.
C. Pressure to always look good and appear put-together without seeming to put any
effort into doing so.
D. Be attractive to men.
E. All of the above.
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8. Topic or question should by authored by a student. See pages 7-8 of this manual for
details on this activity.
True/False
9. On average, males in the United States lag behind their female peers in academics.
10. Boys are more likely than girls to complete high school.
11. When non-U.S. cultures are examined, it becomes clear that there are innate sex differences
in math and science ability.
12. People practicing invisible hand discrimination truly believe they are acting in an unbiased
manner.
13. Socioeconomic status, more than sex, is a factor in a student’s success in higher education.
14. Male and female Chinese students outscore U.S. students of both sexes on math tests.
15. More women than men hold full professorships in American colleges and universities.
16. Girls are more likely than boys to go to college.
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ANS: T
REF: p. 167
17. College males report studying more than college females do.
Identification
18. Title IX
19. Gender-stereotyped curricula
20. Culture of romance
21. Invisible hand discrimination
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22. Effortless perfection
23. Discuss the controversy over female abilities for math and/or science. How do females
typically fare in math and science? Be sure to address biological and social factors.
ANS: The belief that females are not adept at math or science has persisted in the United States
for some time. In early years, girls do just as well as boys in mathematics in school in the United
24. Describe how gender contributes to how women faculty members are expected to serve the
universities for which they work.
25. With the passage of Title IX, female students were given access to athletic opportunities that
were unknown to women of prior generations. Explain the basic framework of Title IX – what
it promises and requires – and based on information found in Chapter 8, assess how well schools
are implementing this law.
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ANS: Title IX requires that women be provided an equitable opportunity to participate in sports.
This does not mean that women’s and men’s athletic opportunities must be identical, only that
26. Same-sex schools provide some benefits that are appealing to many students, parents, and
educators. However, same-sex schools present issues for trans-people that nongender queer
people do not confront. Note three potential problems that trans-people face at same-sex schools
that others do not. Then, propose a potential solution to one of those problems.
ANS: Answers may vary on this question, but potential issues can include whether or not a trans-
27. Both males and females can be disadvantaged by U.S. school systems. Overall, which group
students do you think experiences the most gender-based disadvantages in education? Be sure to
use examples of disadvantages and/or other information from the chapter to support your
opinion.
ANS: Because this answer asks for an opinion, answers will vary. The material about
28. Essay question that integrates theory covered in readings with an issue discussed during
“class business.” See pages 7-8 of this manual for details on this activity.
Chapter 9: Gendered Close Relationships
Multiple Choice
1. How do masculine people, often men, who are friends tend to build closeness?
A. share activities
B. talk about their friendship
C. engage in personal disclosure
D. engage in small talk
E. masculine people who are friends do not build closeness
2. Why are men assumed by some approaches to personal relationships to be deficient at
developing and sustaining personal relationships?
A. Men have been proven empirically to be bad at relationships.
B. Women have been proven empirically to be the best at relationships.
C. Many studies of men’s relationships use the “feminine ruler” of talk as the basis of
close relationships to judge men’s relationships.
D. Both A and B.
E. All of the above.
3. Lesbian relationships tend to be
A. nonmonogamous.
B. low in disclosure and support.
C. egalitarian in distributing responsibilities for maintaining the relationship.
D. primarily based on doing things rather than talking.
E. longer-lasting than heterosexual relationships.
4. Which of the following is true about romantic relationships?
A. Women tend to fall in love faster and harder than men.
B. Women perceive of love in terms of taking trips to romantic places, spontaneously
making love, and surprising their partners.
C. In romantic relationships between women and men, attitudes toward sexual activity
have undergone profound changes over the last several decades.
D. Women are more likely than men to focus on relationship dynamics.
E. All of the above.
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5. Emily feels that she and her partner Luke spend too much time together, and she wants
more time for her individual interests and activities. Luke feels that they should spend
most of their time with each other. The tension between them reflects
A. tension over autonomy and connection.
B. tension over bonding rituals.
C. differences between desires for doing and talking.
D. differences between desires for expression and instrumentality.
E. none of the above.
6. Kaitlin and her partner Adam have spent a lot of time fighting and avoiding each other
recently. Kaitlin is upset about the situation and wants to fix the problem. Adam
doesn’t seem to have noticed that anything is wrong. Kaitlin takes it upon herself to
start a conversation with Adam about their issues. This reflects Kaitlin and Adam’s
A. tension between autonomy and connection.
B. differing ways of showing affection.
C. gendered responsibility for relational health.
D. gendered power dynamics.
E. none of the above.
7. Working women in heterosexual relationships typically engage in the majority of home
and family care taking duties, which are frequently routine, repetitive, and constrained
by deadlines. The term that this statement best defines is
A. psychological responsibility.
B. wonder woman syndrome.
C. soccer mom.
D. second-shift job.
E. the Mommy Myth.
8. Which of the following are features of feminine (often female) friendships?
A. They often contain covert intimacy.
B. Doing activities together is the primary way to build closeness.
C. The friends do things for each other to show that they care.
D. They are less likely than men’s friendships to last if one friend moves away.
E. None of the above.
9. Which of the following is true about nonromantic friendships between men and women?
A. For many women, a primary benefit of friendships with men is that they are
emotionally closer than their friendships with women.
B. For many men, a primary benefit of friendships with women is that they are lighter
and more fun than their friendships with men.
C. In friendships between women and men, men typically talk more and get more
attention than they offer.
D. Nonromantic friendships between women and men have the advantage of being free
from sexual tension.
E. Both women and men tend to seek out men in times of stress.
10. Gender differences are apparent in the ways people manage conflict. Feminine people,
in general, tend to respond to conflict by
A. defering or compromising to reduce tension.
B. issuing ultimatums.
C. refusing to listen or discuss an issue.
D. asserting that the partner is blowing things out of proportion.
E. all of the above.
11. Which of the following tends to be true about lesbian relationships?
A. One partner tends to be expected to be the breadwinner.
B. They tend to be based on tangible investments such as money and possessions.
C. They tend to be bound by traditional gender roles.
D. The partners involved tend to have the most equality of all types of relationships.
E. None of the above.
True/False
12. In heterosexual couples in which the woman earns substantially more than the man, the man
performs the majority of household labor.
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13. In a heterosexual relationship, the male partner would be the one most likely to be
responsible for remembering the child’s doctor’s appointments.
14. Typically, men do not value friendships as much as women.
15. Cross-sex friendships tend to benefit women more than men.
16. Men who have sex with a lot of partners tend to be judged more harshly than women who do
the same.
17. Gay and lesbian relationships tend to follow a best-friend model with the additional
dimensions of sexuality and romance.
18. Lesbians report greater satisfaction with their romantic relationships than either gay men or
heterosexuals.
19. The demand-withdraw pattern explains why sexual tension often exists in cross-sex
friendships
20. Regardless of sexual orientation, most couples have one partner that takes on most of the
burden of caring for the relational health of the couple.
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21. Socialization into gendered speech communities can make it challenging for men and women
to be friends.
22. Gay and lesbian couples tend to share perspectives on how to communicate affection.
ANS: T
REF: p. 197
Identification
23. Male deficit model
24. Second shift
25. Alternative paths model
26. The Mommy Myth
ANS: This is the title of a recent book that states women are brought up to believe in a
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27. Psychological responsibility
28. Feminine ruler:
Essays
29. Identify general patterns of similarities and differences in how masculine and feminine
communication occurs within same sex friendships. (To make this question more challenging
and integrate Chapter 7 material, add: Explain how these differences grow out of gendered
family socialization.)
ANS: Both women and men report they value close, same-sex friendships and seek intimacy,
acceptance, assistance, and trust in those relationships.
30. The author of your textbook writes that gendered orientations influence four dimensions of
long-term love relationships: modes of expressing care, needs for autonomy and connection,
responsibility for relational maintenance, and power. Discuss how heterosexual couples may
differ from same-sex couples on two of the four dimensions.
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ANS: Gendered Modes of Expressing Affection: Heterosexual couples who follow traditional
gender patterns may encounter misunderstanding around expressing affection in that the woman
may express care through talk whereas the man may express care through doing things for his
partner. Gay and lesbian couples are less likely to face such misunderstandings because they
share perspectives on how to communicate affection. In lesbian couples, partners are mutually
Gendered power dynamics: In heterosexual relationships where partners follow traditional
gender scripts, men typically have more power than women. One outcome of this is that women
typically work a “second shift,” engaging in the bulk of the domestic labor. In the past this
31. Describe the division of labor in a typical heterosexual household. Why does the division
exist in this form? Do you think it is possible for the division of labor in the home to be exactly
equal? Why or why not?
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ANS: For the first part of the question, students should discuss the fact that despite women
32. Reflect on a nonromantic, close, same-sex friendship. In what ways does your friendship
match or deviate patterns of friendships described in the book?
ANS: Answers will vary. Female students who believe that their friendships follow traditional
feminine patterns discussed in Chapter 9 may focus on the importance of talk to the relationship,
33. One way to pose questions for this (and several other) chapters is to present them as advice
column questions, with the students being the “experts” who respond. Another similar option is
to present a question as if it is the student’s friend asking him/her for advice since the friend
knows the student is in a Gender and Communication class. Students tend to enjoy these
questions and they give them the opportunity to integrate the material in ways that are applicable
to their lives. It is often helpful to integrate material from several chapters in the questions.
Some examples include:
Dear Gender Communication Expert,
I am a female college senior, and I am so frustrated with my boyfriend Seth. Since we’ll be
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Masculine people, like Seth, often don’t want to talk about the relationship unless they think
something is wrong. You may want to talk to be sure things are okay, but Seth may think
they are okay and so there’s no need to talk. In fact, a date like skydiving may even suggest
he’s ready to do exciting (though sometimes scary) things with you, much like those you’ll
Dear Communication Expert,
I’m a 20-year-old gay man. My boyfriend, Andrew, is driving me crazy! I really love him,
but he’s so needy. When we first got together, he was so independent, but now he’s bugging
Dear Desperately Seeking Space,
What you’re experiencing with Andrew is a really common issue for couples called the
“demand–withdraw pattern.” It seems like you’re more masculine in your preference for
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6. In the movie When Harry Met Sally, Harry says to Sally that men and women cannot be
friends. Your book discusses some challenges and benefits of cross-sex friendships. Note at
least two challenges and two benefits of cross-sex friendships. For each of the challenges you
mention, note one way that friends could help to navigate that potential issue.
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Chapter 10: Gendered Organizational Communication
Multiple Choice
1. The Lilly Ledbetter Act of 2009
A. bars employers from retaliating against employees who ask about pay schedules.
B. states that wage discrimination occurs whenever an employee receives
discriminatory pay.
C. overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine.
D. requires federal employers to provide maternity leave for all employees.
E. expands the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
2. When LaKisha does not get a promotion she was expecting, she asks her supervisor to
explain what happened. He tells her that the partners in the firm felt that the promotion
would have created a lot of pressure on her and they wanted to protect her from that.
The partners’ evaluation of LaKisha reflects which stereotype of women?
A. victim
B. mother
C. sex object
D. child
E. none of the above
3. The assumption that careers must follow linear, full-time patterns
A. is based on work-patterns of previous eras that assumed a typical employee was a
male worker with a stay-at-home wife.
B. leads many women to choose to forego having families.
C. negatively affects both men’s and women’s career trajectories.
D. correctly assumes that workers are most productive and successful when they
remain invested in and committed to a job for a long period of time and without
interruption.
E. has been rejected by most contemporary major corporations.
4. Brendan is struggling to understand how to use the new reporting software his company
has adopted. Rather than asking the IT director for help, Brendan keeps doing Google
searches to try to answer his questions. Brendan is exhibiting what stereotype of men in
the workplace?
A. fighter
B. sturdy oak
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C. breadwinner
D. athlete
E. cowboy
5. Brown v. Board of Education led to what efforts to redress inequities in the United
States?
A. equal opportunity laws
B. affirmative action
C. quotas
D. goals
E. sexual harassment laws
6. Equal opportunity laws
A. apply to groups, not individuals, that have suffered discrimination.
B. deal only with the present—not historical—discrimination.
C. are judged by results, not intent.
D. are the same thing as affirmative action.
E. state how many minorities must be hired, promoted, or admitted at an institution.
7. Anna and Ben are up for the same promotion at work. When it comes time to make a
decision, the management committee chooses Ben for the position because they think
Anna’s commitment to being a good mother to her children would prevent her from
wanting to take on more responsibilities at the office. Anna has just encountered what?
A. glass walls
B. FMLA
C. affirmative action
D. the glass ceiling
E. none of the above
8. “Glass wall” is a metaphor to describe
A. the invisible barrier to women’s advancement in the workplace.
B. a new technology that lets supervisors monitor employees.
C. the difference in pay that women and men receive for the same job.
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D. sex segregation of jobs based on stereotypes of women.
E. leave policies that discourage men from taking family leave.
9. Affirmative action laws
A. attempt to redress past discrimination for members of historically marginalized
groups.
B. apply only to individuals, not groups that have experienced discrimination.
C. judge organizations by the intent of their hiring, admission, and promotion practices
rather than end results.
D. sometimes result in unqualified candidates being hired, admitted, or promoted.
E. Mandate a number of people that must be hired, admitted, or promoted at an
organization.
10. Which of the following is a reason why women workers tend to lack mentor
relationships?
A. Fewer women and minorities hold senior positions in many organizations.
B. Men are often reluctant to mentor women for fear of gossip and innuendo.
C. Men often assume that women are less serious about their careers.
D. Some men are less comfortable with women than men.
E. All of the above.
11. ________ are policies that judge effectiveness based on intention rather than results.
A. Affirmative action
B. Quotas
C. Equal opportunity laws
D. Informal networks
E. All of the above
12. At work, Nick feels pressure to be a pillar of strength among his colleagues. When he
runs into trouble with a project, he feels like he cannot ask for help because others expect
him to be independent and doing so may suggest he is not competent. What stereotype of
men in the workplace does this kind of pressure reflect?
A. sturdy oak
B. breadwinner
C. iron man
D. fighter
E. glass wall
13. Women’s careers can be hampered by which of the following informal practices?
A. male mentors who attempt to impose male values and styles on women
B. workplace environments that focus on families and relationships
C. informal networks that require women to join men in games of golf and other sports,
activities most women do not enjoy
D. segregation into jobs that offer little or no opportunity for advancement
E. all of the above
True/False
14. Both Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were judged based on their adherence (or lack thereof)
to the sex object stereotype during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.
15. Fortune 500 companies that have a strong record of promoting women to executive levels
outperform other Fortune 500 companies.
16. In the United States, companies are required to grant leaves to care for new babies or sick
family members as mandated by the FMLA.
17. Because men have dominated in the workplace in the past, many informal networks are
largely or exclusively male.
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18. Affirmative action is a quota system that states a number of minorities that must be hired,
admitted, or promoted, regardless of qualifications.
19. The glass escalator is the idea that when women take jobs in male dominated fields, they are
often quick to rise through the ranks of those fields.
20. Topic or question should be authored by a student. See pages 7-8 of this manual for details
on this activity.
Identification
21. Workplace bullying
22. Maternal wall
ANS: Both employers and coworkers may assume that women workers who have children
23. Affirmative action policies
ANS: Affirmative action policies are those that aim to increase the representation of women