Psychology and The Role of Female Psychologists

The role of female psychologists in the field of psychology is in many ways similar to that of women in society. That is, rather than women psychologists being perceived as objective, capable of relating to men in a manner which they comprehend, support, and respect, and as equal, they are relegated to positions of subjectivity, thought incapable of understanding the male psyche as well as men themselves, and perceived as being unequal. That female psychologists have undergone professional training as have their male counterparts makes no difference relative to the manner in which they are perceived and, subsequently, treated in a male-dominated society. This is primarily because the dual standard which has probably existed in society since time immemorial continues even today, despite the alleged advances women have made in the political, economic, professional, and social arenas. Further, this dual standard is so pervasive that it adversely impacts every aspect of human life; as such, women misguidedly adopt many of the perceptions of themselves that are held by men, whether or not they are psychologists. The socialization process, from which such perceptions derive, is as well 'different' for women due to this dual standard. Thus, female psychologists, like their nonpsychologist counterparts, are subjected to life-styles - both personal and professional - that are markedly 'different' from those of their male counte

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s. Consider, as evidence of this, that female students are taught through a variety of media that professional development need not preclude marriage and a family, and it may indeed be postponed - or sacrificed - to insure the provision of appropriate parenting, or mothering. Further, with the exception of classroom teachers, the number of women in the education system who can serve as viable role models is few. For those female students requiring like role models who are successful in the 'hard' professions, the number is even smaller still. Moreover, the administration of the education system itself is predominately male, with few females holding high-level positions. This unfortunate paucity of female role models only serves to again stringently reinforce and sustain male domination. Those persevering female students aspiring to the 'hard' professions are confronted with a myriad of obstacles during the taking of their degrees, not all of which will succumb to their individual efforts. Should the female student successfully complete the male-focused curriculum to become a psychologist, she will be confronted with professional and personal obstacles that may well interfere with - or preclude - her desired levels of relat
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2280
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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