| 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 bible | | | | exploitive tendencies and open displays of |
| of the psychiatric profession) expressly | | | | feelings of entitlement will be less integral |
| professes gender bias: personality disorders | | | | to narcissism for females than for males. For |
| such as Borderline and Histrionic are | | | | females such displays may carry a greater |
| supposed to be more common among women. but | | | | possibility of negative social sanctions |
| the DSM is rather even-handed: other | | | | because they would violate stereotypical |
| personality disorders (e.g., the Narcissistic | | | | gender-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 objective | | | | components of narcissism as measured by the |
| clinical entities, but culture-bound | | | | Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI) - |
| syndromes. In other words, perhaps they | | | | Leadership/Authority, Self-absorption |
| reflect biases and value judgments. Some | | | | Self-admiration, and Superiority/Arrogance- |
| patriarchal societies are also narcissistic. | | | | than in males - though 'male and female |
| They emphasize qualities such as | | | | narcissists in general showed striking |
| individualism and ambition, often identified | | | | similarities in the manner in which most of |
| with virility. Hence the preponderance of | | | | the facets of narcissism were integrated with |
| pathological narcissism among men. Women, on | | | | each other'." |
| the other hand, are widely believed to be | | | | |
| emotionally labile and clinging. This is why | | | | Gender 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 of | | | | Tschanz, Carolyn C. Morf, Charles W. Turner - |
| socialization and cultural mores all play an | | | | Sex Roles: A Journal of Research - Issue: |
| important role in the pathogenesis of | | | | May, 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 health | | | | they exercise their authority and are |
| profession is inherently sexist. | | | | perceived as autocratic." |
| | | | |
| Then again, genetics may be is at work. Men | | | | Eagly, A. H., Makhijani, M. G., & Klonsky, B. |
| and women do differ genetically. This may | | | | G. (1992). Gender and the evaluation of |
| account for the variability of the occurrence | | | | leaders: A meta-analysis. Psychological |
| of specific personality disorders in men and | | | | Bulletin, 111, 3-22, and ... |
| women. | | | | |
| | | | Butler, D., & Gels, F. L. (1990). Nonverbal |
| Some of the diagnostic criteria are ambiguous | | | | affect responses to male and female leaders: |
| or even considered "normal" by the majority | | | | Implications for leadership evaluations. |
| of the population. Histrionics "consistently | | | | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, |
| use physical appearance to draw attention to | | | | 58, 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 relies | | | | sociable and likable in order to influence |
| on a woman to maintain his home, take care of | | | | men - men must only appear to be competent to |
| his children, choose his attire, and prop his | | | | achieve 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 more | | | | influence. Journal of Personality and Social |
| the diagnostician relies on stereotypes | | | | Psychology, 68, 1030-1041. |
| (Widiger, 1998). | | | | |