Psychological Perspectives essay

Brannon (2008), in her book Gender: Psychological Perspectives, in Chapter 1'The Study of Gender' examines the gender topic by presenting her ideas on the attitudes and behaviors that are related to biological sex. This book and this chapter particularly are both scholarship and research; thus, it provides not only an overall picture of gender from the perspective of psychological science, but gives a significant and profound material for particular critical review.

The goal of the book in general is to demonstrate the interconnection of the ideas on biological sex and human behavior by using gender factor depicting the relationships between women and men. Brannon (2008) presenting her material, which is also based on her personal life facts makes a clear influence of cultural diversity not only throughout one chapter; those elements are present in the whole book and in each chapter in particular. She also relates a case of gender equity to the life quality (Brannon 2008).

In order to sound more relevant in her research findings, the author presents everything vividly in details (Brannon 2008). Moreover, Brannon (2008) her scientific research review is profoundly supplemented with various personal accounts in the form of narration. She is openly speaking of various aspects that are relevant to gender taking into the consideration the examples of people's lives.

The author, by addressingtwo main gender categories of femininity and masculinity, highlights gender roles in a form of a comparatively neutral discussion connected with the split of the stereotypical characters of females and males. At the same time, Brannon eternalizes the gender idea to be a binary concept depicting its modern concepts.

Personal Reflection

Gender questions have always been among my priority interests. However, I have noticed that the principle: 'the more we know, the less we understand' is very essential in this case despite the fact that it has been used by various scholars and in various spheres (Zimmer, 2008; Causier and Davies, 2002; Sheen, 2001; Bent, 2001; Pawson, 2004; Stingl, 2013).

Recently I had a chance to discuss various gender roles and sex orientation issues, which have strongly influenced my life values regarding the choices and possibilities on how people of different sex orientation live their lives. I had a chance to analyze how various societies and countries perceive those types of people.

I was educated in a conservative family, where all the family principles were followed and strictly obeyed. The women, my mother and grandmother are associated with the great guard of the home flame, and men are the saviors of the whole family. Thus, although this book is written in a neutrally stereotypic manner, it played a significant role in my thought-provoking ideas on males and females in the society.

The result of its reading is another perspective on the views of the gender roles having a deeper understanding of the difficulties and possibilities for women and men to live their everyday lives. Thus, another principle appeared: 'the more we understand the less we fear' (Mercury, 2012), the ideas, which were also used and transformed by various scholars such as Coleman (2013) and Ropeik (2012).

Reading of the Chapter from Brannon's (2008) books gives me a stimulus to conduct more research on the gender topics, which will help me to become a successful psychotherapist. It is also important to remember that such understanding is essential especially because my future occupation will be connected with constant dialogues with my clients.

Application

As communication is inseparable part of any psychotherapist, one should have a clear and deep understanding of all the nuances connected with the gender issues. During the counseling sessions with the clients it is not only important to make the clients speak and listen to their stories, but to validate and provoke their courage to speak up and come to those sessions, if needed, again.

As both males and females might have many losses, they may feel uncomfortable to break the ice and further lowering their self-esteem. Having a clear understanding of males and females everyday lives, it is important for the psychotherapist not to let the client become further depressed and potentially frustrated because of their fear to peak up and possible long-term isolation.

It is very essential to analyze whether the client needs individual or group counselling as sometimes they may be more comfortable talking to the group while seeing the same problems. Gender questions are very complex and require considerable scientific knowledge and experience.

The notion of change is a significant element in this case as well. The psychotherapist has to be clear whether personal or systemic change is needed as many issues on the whole community may impact the client. The vital element is the client needs to realize that there is no wrong answer and everything is 'ok' with him or her,' and if there are feelings on the anomaly of something, it could potentially be the surrounding social, economic and political and institutional structures that are needed to be changed. Thus, it is essential to read such works as Brannon's in order to develop various counseling approaches dealing with the clients of both genders.