From feminist research to new categories in psychology

what is and what may be

Erika Apfelbaum

pp. 251-259

in: Michael E. Hyland, William J. Baker, René van Hezewijk, Terwee (eds), Recent trends in theoretical psychology, Berlin, Springer, 1990

Abstract

The author argues that feminist research helped to restructure the theoretical and empirical content of psychology despite being marginalized. It is claimed that feminist research, which has led to the conceptual shift from sex to gender, has helped to unmask a variety of hidden assumptions, such as using biological determinism to explain psychological effects. In addition, it is suggested that feminist research offers a new theoretical perspective whereby the sociologically and historically bound generalized beliefs about universal biological processes are first brought into clear focus, thus permitting a subsequent shifting of the analysis towards a more socially oriented perspective. The author asserts that feminist thought supports a more integrative base of knowledge and transcends traditional subdisciplinary frontiers.