Emotional Experience and Differences in Gender

Emotional Experiences and Differences in Gender

Psychology

Gender is a biological reality with many social consequences. The paper addresses several terms as a context within which to consider emotional experiences because of differences in gender.

Somatic experiencing is a method to avoid or provide damage control for traumas that produce posttraumatic stress disorder. Somatic therapy concentrates on the sensory and felt experience of the patient. The person is to express his/her experience in a manner most detailed and focused as part of the process of recovery from severe trauma(s). This theory was first introduced by Levine (1997) and his theory is derived from his observations and analyses of traumatic experiences within the animal kingdom. As women are stereotyped to be more emotional and more able to communicate their emotions, differences in gender will play a role in this form of therapy. (Grossman & Wood, 1993) Men who adhere to traditional gender roles may find this kind of therapy very difficult and some will find the opportunity liberating and helpful.

Affective phenomenology is sometimes referred to as emotional psychology. Phenomenology is about the truth of the experience from the first person perspective. Phenomenology explores the intention and plurality of truth and honors individual perspective and experience. Therefore affective phenomenology would be the same practice oriented towards emotional states. In many cultures around the world, women are socialized with the skills to communicate affective reality. In many cultures around the world, it is deemed unmasculine to express emotions. In numerous cultures where women are subordinated to men, affective phenomenology would provide valuable insights to those within and outside such societies. (Kring & Gordon, 1998) Men could better understand women's dissatisfaction with the world while women could better understand the austere emotional restrictions applied to concepts of masculinity.

Gender is a strong factor when considering environmental determinants. Often gender is the primary basis upon which children are allowed access to certain activities such as education, sports, arts, and physical labor. A cultural stereotype of men is that they retain a considerable more pride and ego than women. It follows that gender differences play a role in appraisals of significance. Many industries and top-level positions are occupied mostly by men in the world. There still exists the "glass ceiling" for professional women. Men are more likely to seek and receive appraisal in themselves and others -- at least stereotypically. (Kring & Gordon, 1998) Women are more likely to provide normative social appraisals as men are generally socialized to be strong while women are generally socialized to be nice. (Kring & Gordon, 1998)

Self-management is a phrase that refers to the executive processes, some of which include activities such as self growth, decision-making, goal setting, focus, and tracking progress. In societies where women are subordinate, there would be vast differences in self-management. Many women, no doubt, conform to the subordination and their executive processes are significantly less developed than men who are free and in superior positions within the culture. Conversely, there will be some women with intensified executive processes as their response to subordination is defiance and resistance.