Gender Bias in Physiological Stress Research

Date of Award

2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Beulig, Alfred

Keywords

Gender Studies, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Feminist Theory, Selye, Hans

Area of Concentration

Biology

Abstract

The scientific research on stress by Hans Selye challenged the mainstream scientific community at the time in several ways, challenges that the feminist theorists mirrored in their criticisms of the gender bias inherent in scientific and academic research and structure. After Selye, stress research consists of knowledge gathered using the methods of several different disciplines including genetics, biochemistry and psychology. Similarly, after the incorporation of gender studies programs into academia the 1970's, feminists began to criticize the exclusionary practices of the scientific community and method. An examination of the stress research in light of some of the feminist criticisms of science reveals several ways in which gender bias may negatively affect the validity of the research, and the ways in which the area of stress research is changing in response to those criticisms. Finally, an examination of some of the post traumatic stress disorder research, one clinical application of stress research, reveals the myriad ways in which gender affects and complicates the assessments, diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.

Rights

This bibliographic record is available under the Creative Commons CC0 public domain dedication. The New College of Florida, as creator of this bibliographic record, has waived all rights to it worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law.

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