IS FREUD’S OPINION THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS?: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER REPRESENTATION IN INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS A Thesis Presented to the faculty of the Graduate and Professional Studies in Education California State University, Sacramento Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in Education (Gender Equity Studies) by Kathryn L. Clifford FALL 2013 © 2013 Kathryn L. Clifford ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii IS FREUD’S OPINION THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS?: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER REPRESENTATION IN INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS A Thesis by Kathryn L. Clifford Approved by: __________________________________, Committee Chair Sherrie Carinci, Ed.D. __________________________________, Second Reader Lisa Bohon, Ph.D. ________________________ Date iii Student: Kathryn L. Clifford I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to be awarded for the thesis. , Department Chair Susan Heredia, Ph.D. Date Graduate and Professional Studies in Education iv Abstract of IS FREUD’S OPINION THE ONLY ONE THAT MATTERS?: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF GENDER REPRESENTATION IN INTRODUCTORY PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOKS by Kathryn L. Clifford My intention for this study was to bring awareness to the academic community regarding the gender bias in introductory psychology textbooks. Through a content analysis, three popular and commonly used introductory psychology textbooks were examined for the lack of equal gender representation within the textbooks. A quantitative approach was taken in conducting this research. The results indicated that out of the total number of non-parenthetical references within the textbooks, 82% of the contributing authors were men, while 18% were women. Even though the male references heavily outweighed the female references there was a small increase in v female references from the 2011 publication date to the 2013 publication date (2011 = 13% female; 2013 = 17% female). , Committee Chair Sherrie Carinci, Ed.D. Date vi DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my husband, Matt C. From our first date to today you have shown me unyielding support and love. My Bachelor’s degree and this Master’s degree would not have been possible without your countless selfless acts and commitment to our family’s future - I will forever be grateful to you my love. vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This process would not have been possible without the support of many people. I would like to first acknowledge my thesis advisor Dr. Sherrie Carinci. Dr. Carinci’s genuine and caring manner has been inspiring throughout this process. Her insightful comments and unending guidance made this thesis possible. I truly thank you, Dr. Carinci from the bottom of my heart for your mentoring and encouragement along my path to becoming a well-rounded educator. When first arriving at CSUS I was unaware of my true abilities until Dr. Lisa Bohon challenged not only the way I saw the world, but also how I saw myself. Thank you Dr. B for seeing my true potential and opening my eyes to the many possibilities in front of me. I would especially like to thank my mom who gave up so much so that my siblings and I could have what we needed. Mom, your devotion and loving acts throughout my life have meant more to me then you will ever know. To my sister and brothers, thank you for taking this journey with me and always supporting my choices. I would also like to say a special thank you to Linda, my mother-in-law, for all of her kindnesses and support throughout the years. To my wonderful family and friends, thank you for your unwavering belief in me during this long academic journey. Your unconditional love gave me strength during the darkest hours, and for this I am forever grateful. viii Without the help of all of these individuals I would not be where I am today and most importantly I would not be the person I am today. ix TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Dedication .................................................................................................................. vii Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................... viii List of Tables ............................................................................................................. xiii List of Figures ............................................................................................................ xiv Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 1 Statement of Problem ....................................................................................... 2 Significance of the Study .................................................................................. 3 Methodology ..................................................................................................... 5 Limitations of the Study ................................................................................... 7 Theoretical Framework .................................................................................... 8 Definition of Terms ........................................................................................ 14 Organization of the Thesis .............................................................................. 16 Background of the Researcher ........................................................................ 16 2. REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE ......................................................... 18 The History and Patriarchy of University Teaching ....................................... 18 Women’s Entrance into Higher Education ..................................................... 20 The Historical Scholars of Psychology .......................................................... 23 Gender Equality and Student Connections in Higher Education ................... 26 x Current Inequities in the Discipline of Psychology ........................................ 28 Textbook Criteria ............................................................................................ 29 Gender Inequality Within Psychology Textbooks ......................................... 30 Commonalities in Top Selling Introductory Psychology Textbooks ............. 33 The Importance of Textbooks as Part of the Classroom Curriculum ............. 34 3. METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................. 35 Introduction .................................................................................................... 35 Research Design and Data .............................................................................. 36 Research Questions ........................................................................................ 39 Textbooks ....................................................................................................... 40 Setting ............................................................................................................. 42 Procedures ...................................................................................................... 42 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 44 4. FINDINGS .......................................................................................................... 45 Introduction to Quantitative Data ................................................................... 45 Publisher Response ......................................................................................... 45 Most Frequently Credited Sources ................................................................. 46 Gender Representation Results ....................................................................... 48 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 53 5. DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................... 55 xi Introduction to Quantitative Data ................................................................... 55 Publishers’ Responses .................................................................................... 55 Most Frequently Credited Sources ................................................................. 57 The Falsification of Freud .............................................................................. 58 Gender Representation Results ....................................................................... 60 Notable Women in Psychology ...................................................................... 63 Conclusions .................................................................................................... 69 Limitations ...................................................................................................... 70 Recommendations .......................................................................................... 71 Appendix A. Publisher Request Letter ..................................................................... 73 Appendix B. Textbook Coding Sheet ....................................................................... 75 References .................................................................................................................. 77 xii LIST OF TABLES Tables Page 1. Textbook A: 10 Most Frequently