​ What Makes Females Different from Males?

What Makes Females Different from Males?

In most universities, there are courses, or even a major, in Women’s Studies. Why is Men’s Studies not as widespread? One popular viewpoint argues that all studies are, in fact, men’s studies because men have largely written history through combat, politics, and science while women have been relegated to the background. A program in women’s studies, then, explores history, society, and culture from women’s perspectives. Similarly, courses in women’s health explore health from women’s perspectives.

As a student of Health Psychology, you have taken courses which present issues relevant to both genders. Keeping the topics of those courses in mind, for this Discussion you are asked to evaluate your own feelings about the need for a gender-specific course in women’s health.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 your position on the need for a gender-specific course in women’s health (as opposed to a general one in health) in a Health Psychology program. Use citations and references from the readings this week to support your argument.

Be sure to support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources.

Readings

• Brizendine, L. (2006). The birth of the female brain (pp. 11–30). New York, NY: Morgan Road Books.

• Casper, R.C. (2008). Growing up female. In R.C. Casper (Ed.), Women’s health: Hormones, emotions and behavior (pp. 1–13). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

• Reid, P.T., Cooper, S.M., Banks, K.H. (2007). Girls to women: Developmental theory, research and issues. In F. Denmark & M. Paludi (Eds.), Psychology of women: Handbook of issues and theories (2nd ed., pp. 237–270). Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

• Cohen, R. Y., Brownell, K. D., & Felix, M. R. (1990). Age and sex differences in health habits and beliefs of schoolchildren. Health Psychology, 9(2), 208–224.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

• Keleher, H., & Franklin, L. (2008). Changing gendered norms about women and girls at the level of household and community: A review of the evidence. Global Public Health, 3(Suppl. 1), 42–57.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). What makes females different from males? Baltimore, MD: Author.