Different types of psychology


Gender Bias In Diagnosing Personality Disorders

Ever since Freud, more women than men sought
therapy. Consequently, terms like "hysteria'Quotes  from  the  Literature
are intimately connected to female physiology
and alleged female psychology. The DSM"Specifically, past research suggests that
(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the bibleexploitive tendencies and open displays of
of the psychiatric profession) expresslyfeelings of entitlement will be less integral
professes gender bias: personality disordersto narcissism for females than for males. For
such as Borderline and Histrionic arefemales such displays may carry a greater
supposed to be more common among women. butpossibility of negative social sanctions
the DSM is rather even-handed: otherbecause they would violate stereotypical
personality disorders (e.g., the Narcissisticgender-role expectancies for women, who are
and Antisocial as well as the Schizotypal,expected to engage in such positive social
Obsessive-Compulsive, Schizoid, and Paranoid)behavior as being tender, compassionate,
are  more  prevalent  among  men.warm, sympathetic, sensitive, and
understanding.
Why this gender disparity? There are a few
possible  answers:In females, Exploitiveness/Entitlement is
less well-integrated with the other
Maybe personality disorders are not objectivecomponents of narcissism as measured by the
clinical entities, but culture-boundNarcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) -
syndromes. In other words, perhaps theyLeadership/Authority, Self-absorption
reflect biases and value judgments. SomeSelf-admiration, and Superiority/Arrogance-
patriarchal societies are also narcissistic.than in males - though 'male and female
They emphasize qualities such asnarcissists in general showed striking
individualism and ambition, often identifiedsimilarities in the manner in which most of
with virility. Hence the preponderance ofthe facets of narcissism were integrated with
pathological narcissism among men. Women, oneach  other'."
the other hand, are widely believed to be
emotionally labile and clinging. This is whyGender differences in the structure of
most  Borderlines and Dependents are females.narcissism: a multi-sample analysis of the
narcissistic personality inventory - Brian T.
Upbringing and environment, the process ofTschanz, Carolyn C. Morf, Charles W. Turner -
socialization and cultural mores all play anSex Roles: A Journal of Research - Issue:
important role in the pathogenesis ofMay,  1998
personality disorders. These views are not
fringe: serious scholars (e.g., Kaplan and"Women leaders are evaluated negatively if
Pantony, 1991) claim that the mental healththey exercise their authority and are
profession  is  inherently  sexist.perceived  as  autocratic."
Then again, genetics may be is at work. MenEagly, A. H., Makhijani, M. G., & Klonsky, B.
and women do differ genetically. This mayG. (1992). Gender and the evaluation of
account for the variability of the occurrenceleaders: A meta-analysis. Psychological
of specific personality disorders in men andBulletin,  111,  3-22,  and  ...
women.
Butler, D., & Gels, F. L. (1990). Nonverbal
Some of the diagnostic criteria are ambiguousaffect responses to male and female leaders:
or even considered "normal" by the majorityImplications for leadership evaluations.
of the population. Histrionics "consistentlyJournal of Personality and Social Psychology,
use physical appearance to draw attention to58,  48-59.
self." Well, who doesn't in Western society?
Why when a woman clings to a man it is"Competent women must also appear to be
labeled "codependence", but when a man reliessociable and likable in order to influence
on a woman to maintain his home, take care ofmen - men must only appear to be competent to
his children, choose his attire, and prop hisachieve  the same results with both genders."
ego  it  is  "companionship"  (Walker, 1994)?
Carli, L. L., Lafleur, S. J., & Loeber, C. C.
The less structured the interview and the(1995). Nonverbal behavior, gender, and
more fuzzy the diagnostic criteria, the moreinfluence. Journal of Personality and Social
the diagnostician relies on stereotypesPsychology, 68, 1030-1041.
(Widiger,  1998).



1 A B C D 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103