TEACHING PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN

A 38-item questionnaire was sent to 440 instructors of psychology of women courses; 230 surveys were returned. This article examines characteristics of people who teach courses in psychology of women, characteristics of their institutions, characteristics of the course itself, and the instructors' reactions to the course. Among the findings are: (a) instructors in this course vary greatly in the number of years they have taught the course and in their area of graduate training; (b) few instructors had taken a formal course in psychology of women; (c) the course is usually a highly emotional one; and (d) almost all instructors enjoyed teaching the psychology of women course more than their other courses.     

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN AND CONSERVATISM

Although one goal of the psychology of women has been to enhance the status of women through social change, this goal has seldom been realized. Theory and research in the psychology of women have focused on gender differences and the personality of women rather than the society that oppresses women. As a result, this research has tended to blame women for their position in society and helped maintain the status quo, which can inhibit the struggle for equality by the women's movement. This process is demonstrated with reference to research on women and achievement. The causes and consequences of the focus on gender differences are discussed and recommendations made for a psychology of women in the service of women.     

TEACHING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN COURSES IN ANOTHER DISCIPLINE

A survey of course titles in African American Studies departments and programs was conducted to examine the course offerings on the psychology of women, the psychology of African American women, and other areas of psychology as well as courses on gender from other disciplines. A total of 82 programs or departments of African American Studies and 182 courses were listed. The course discipline was stated in the majority of courses, with psychology having the most courses. Only a small percentage of the psychology courses listed gender in addition to race in the title. Of those courses listed in psychology, the majority were in social, developmental, or clinical psychology. The disciplines of English, sociology, history, and political science had listings of courses with both gender and race titles. This small survey indicates that the psychology of women has not had much influence on the curriculum of African American Studies. Possible reasons for this are discussed, as are solutions to this problem.     

POOR WOMEN ARE STILL SHUT OUT OF MAINSTREAM PSYCHOLOGY

Based on the limited number of abstracts accessed on PsycLit between 1984 and 1991 that included poor women, Reid (1993) concluded that such women were essentially "shut up" and "shut out" of mainstream psychological research and theory. The authors conducted a follow-up analysis for the years 1991 through 1997 to determine whether significant change had taken place. In addition, they looked at the inclusion of poor women in research in the areas of sexuality and reproductive health. Results of the analysis suggest that poor women remain marginalized in our discipline's discourse.     

THE ORIGINS AND ACTIVITIES OF APA's DIVISION OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN

The activities of APA's Division of the Psychology of Women are traced from the origins of the Division in 1973 to the present. Division 35 evolved in response to pressures relating to the status of women in psychology as well as concerns about the content and practice of the psychology of women. The Division has fostered significant research on the psychology of women, been an important organizing base for women psychologists in their quest for visibility and influence, and provided institutional sup-port for issues of diversity in psychology and society.     

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR WOMEN IN PSYCHOLOGY

The Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) was founded in 1969 by American Psychological Association (APA) members who were frustrated with sexism in psychology, in the APA, and at the 1969 APA convention itself. The activism of the 1960s, together with the new women's liberation movement, gave the founders tools and justification for a new organization. This article, the first published AWP history, describes the founding circumstances, early skirmishes concerning structure and operations, evolution of major activities (such as the annual conference, importance of lesbians, growing attention to multiculturalism), and ongoing tensions between centralization and feminist process.     

A REVIEW OF PSYCHOLOGY OF WOMEN TEXTBOOKS: FOCUS ON THE AFRO-AMERICAN WOMAN

A review was conducted of 28 psychology of women textbooks selected from university libraries and utilizing a psychological approach. The question of whether authors of psychology of women books in their treatment of Afro-American women had replicated the errors of authors of introductory psychology books in their treatment of women was raised. Of the 28 books reviewed, 18 offered either token or no references to Afro-American women. It is concluded that race and class biases underlie the exclusion, limited inclusion, and biased treatment of Afro-American women in these works.     

FEMINIST PSYCHOLOGY IN THE SERVICE OF WOMEN: STAYING ENGAGED WITHOUT GETTING MARRIED

This article, based on the 2005 Society for the Psychology of Women Presidential Address, presents a definition of feminism and evaluates feminist psychology and its current challenges through that lens. The principal theme is the tension between feminist psychology's engagement with the discipline and its ability to critique and alter both the discipline and the world. The article includes an analysis of the original 52 demands presented by women activists to the APA's Council of Representatives in 1970. Those demands are evaluated both in terms of progress and lack of achievement, as well as in terms of the limitations of the professional women's movement reflected in those original demands. The lack of success in achieving demands associated with structural change is highlighted. A framework for future feminist work that might achieve transformational change is offered.