Answer to Question 1
Girls are often stereotyped as talkative, but research shows that in many situations boys spend more time talking than girls do.
Females are more willing to reveal their feelings and more likely to express concern for others and are more concerned about finding the meaning of life and less interested in competing for material success. Males are more likely to introduce new topics and to interrupt conversations.
Adolescent females use different knowledge than males and have different ways of interpreting their interactions with others. These gender differences may have an impact on self-esteem and self-concept.
Research shows that, as adolescents develop, male self-esteem and self-concept rise, whereas female self-confidence is lowered.
One reason is that girls are more likely to stress about their weight and be more dissatisfied with the size and shape of their bodies. Young girls are regularly confronted with unrealistically high standards of slimness that make them extremely unhappy with their own bodies; it is not surprising that the incidence of eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, has increased markedly in recent years.
Gilligan uncovered an alternative explanation for this decline in female self-esteem: As girls move into adolescence, they become aware of the conflict between the positive way they see themselves and the negative way society views females. Many girls respond by losing their voicesthat is, submerging their own feelings and accepting the negative view of women conveyed by adult authorities.
Student views will vary.
Answer to Question 2
d