Vocabulary

In this study, I discuss both "sex" and "gender." To clear up any confusion on what these terms mean, I have chosen to define them here. For the purpose of this study, "sex" refers to the biological sex of the participant and means male or female. "Gender" refers to the societal (U.S.) stereotypes of femininity and masculinity. For this study, gender refers to the rankings of feminine, neutral, or masculine and was determined by the participants. Many people, even within the same society, have divergent views of gender. Some participants may see feminine as female and some may see feminine as separate from female. Some may relate feminine closely to the cultural stereotypes of nurturing, supportive, and kind, and some may see feminine as something a bit different. Thus, different perceptions of gender are likely in the research.