Psychology 320: Psychology of Gender and Sex Differences Lecture 31

Psychology 320: Psychology of Gender and Sex DifferencesLecture 31

Office Hour InvitationsJanuary 4th, 1:30-2:30, Kenny 2517 12215083 15933120 20330080 23560097 24156093 34508101 71860092 82844101 82107103 85919066

Announcements 1. The grades for the December exam are now available on the course website. The mean score on the December exam was 66% (SD = 18%, range = 0% – 99%). 3

2. The TAs are available to meet with students to review their exam: Jacqueline-Marie (A-M): By appointment, Kenny 3514 E-mail: jmferland@psych.ubc.ca Morag (N-Z): By appointment or during office hour: Wednesday, 11:30-12:30, Kenny 1910 E-mail: moragy@gmail.com 4

3. If you are not achieving your goals in this course, please feel free to meet with me or your TA. We may be able to provide you with assistance in developing your study strategies. You may also find it helpful to visit Learning Commons (http://learningcommons.ubc.ca/), an online resource that provides access to information on exam preparation, tutoring, on-campus learning workshops, study groups, and technical tools.

Reminders • 1. Students with last names A-M: As noted in the course syllabus, your TA for second term is David King: • Office hour: Wednesday, 11:30-12:30, Kenny 2514 • E-mail: dbking11@psych.ubc.ca 2. As noted in the course syllabus, my office hour in second term is on Friday, 1:30-2:30 (vs. Tuesday).

3. CSL students: An orientation session for the CSL component of the course will be held on Thursday, January 10th, 5:00-6:30, in Kenny 2510 (the Suedfeld Lounge). David King will act as the TA Coordinator for the CSL component of the course. 7

Friendship 1. Are there sex similarities in same-sex friendship? 2. Are there sex differences in same-sex friendship?

By the end of today’s class, you should be able to: 1. discuss sex similarities and differences in same-sex friendship. 2. identify desired characteristics and sources of relationship satisfaction in same-sex friendship. 3. identify the age period during which sex differences in self-disclosure emerge.

4. define the term: co-rumination. 5. discuss the relation between self-disclosure and gender. 6. review research findings regarding the social desirability of self-disclosure among females and males.

Are there sex similarities in same-sex friendship? • A number of sex similarities in same-sex friendships have been identified: 1. Friendship network size: Mean = 5 – 8 (Urberg et al., 1995).

2. Desired characteristics: • Seek friends with similar characteristics (Berndt, 1982; Linden-Anderson et al., 2009). • Trust and authenticity most important (Parker & de Vries, 1993). • Affective (i.e., emotional) support more important than instrumental (i.e., task-oriented) support (Burleson et al., 1996).

3. Sources of relationship satisfaction: Include support, enjoyment, and equal power status (Bank & Hansford, 2000; Fehr, 2000; Reisman, 1990; Veniegas & Peplau, 1997). 4. Knowledge of friends/relationship (Simpkins et al., 2006).

Are there sex differences in same-sex friendship? • A number of sex differences in same-sex friendships have been identified: 1. Group size during play: Females tend to play in dyads; males tend to play in groups (Baines & Blatchford, 2009; Rose & Rudolph, 2006). 2. Best friends: Females are more likely than males to report having a best friend and to be “clique” members (Urberg et al., 1995).

3. Self-disclosure: • Female-female friendships are characterized by greater self-disclosure than male-male friendships (e.g., Buhrmester & Furman, 1987; McNelles & Connolly, 1999; Sheets & Lugar, 2005). • Sex differences in self-disclosure appear in childhood and are consistent across age groups (Buhrmester & Furman, 1987; Swenson & Rose, 2009):

Mean Intimate Disclosure Scores in Same-Sex Friendships for Girls and Boys by Grade (Buhrmester & Furman, 1987) a Marginally significant sex difference (p<.10). b Significant sex difference (p<.01).

Mean Intimate Disclosure Scores in Same-Sex Friendships for Women and Men(Sheets & Lugar, 2005) Intimate Disclosure Scores

When self-disclosing, females are more likely than males to engage in “co-rumination” (Rose, 2002; Rose et al., 2007). • Among females, self-disclosure is not influenced by gender. Among males, masculinity is negatively correlated with self-disclosure and femininity is positively correlated with self-disclosure (Winstead et al., 1984; also see Shaffer et al., 1996).

Research suggests that males are less likely to self- disclose than females because self-disclosure among males is less socially desirable:

Derlaga and Chaikin, 1976 (also see Collins and Miller, 1994; Mickelson, Helgeson, & Weiner, 1995) • Female and male participants read a case study and evaluated the target’s levels of adjustment and likeability. • The stories manipulated the sex of the target and the level of self-disclosure that the target engaged in with respect to a traumatic event.

Psychological Adjustment as a Function of Level of Disclosure and Sex of Discloser(Derlaga & Chaikin, 1976) Psychological Adjustment Male Target Female Target

Also found that self-disclosure was positively correlated with likeability scores among females but not among males.

Friendship 1. Are there sex similarities in same-sex friendship? 2. Are there sex differences in same-sex friendship?

Psychology 320: Psychology of Gender and Sex Differences Lecture 31