Report of the first Asian ISSAM Meeting on the Aging Male

The longer life spans of females compared to males has been attributed to the effects of sex hormones. Since experimental tests of this possibility in humans are unethical, indirect studies have been relied on for evidence. The present study offers such indirect evidence by comparing life spans of female and male opera singers, since sex hormones are known to influence development of voice. Life spans of sopranos were found to be significantly greater than those of lower voice registered contraltos, even after controlling for birth year. Differences among male opera singers were not statistically significant. The data support the hypothesis that females live longer than males because of the beneficial effects of estrogens on longevity-related genes.     

Influence of physiological androgen levels on wound healing and immune status in men

Aging in men is associated with a progressive decline in the production of several hormones, including androgens. The extent to which an age-dependent decline in androgen levels lead to health problems or can affect quality of life remains under debate. Clinical results on replacement therapy do not yet provide a definitive clue on the benefit/risk balance. A sexual dimorphism of the immune system is well established, and the differences between female and male immune responses under normal, as well as pathological, conditions are generally attributed to the influence of estrogens, progestins, and androgens. The suppressive effects of male sex hormones on immune functions have been observed in a wide variety of disease processes and appear to be testosterone-mediated. Endogenous testosterone inhibits skin wound healing response in males and is associated with an enhanced inflammatory response. Although there are no known gender-related differences in permeability barrier function in adults, estrogens accelerates—whereas testosterone retards—barrier development in fetal skin, and male fetuses demonstrate slower barrier development than female littermates.     

From genes to societies

Research on model organisms has substantially advanced our understanding of aging. However, these studies collectively lack any examination of the element of sociality, an important feature of human biology. Social insects present a number of unique possibilities for investigating social influences on aging and potentially detecting new mechanisms for extremely prolonged, healthy life spans that have evolved naturally. Social evolution has led to life spans in reproductive females that are much longer (up to over 100-fold) than those of males or of nonreproductive worker castes. These differences are particularly dramatic because they are due to environmental influences, as all individuals develop from the same genomes. Social insect colonies consist of semi-autonomous individuals, and the relationship between the colony and the individual creates many interesting predictions in the light of the common theories of aging. Furthermore, the variety of lifestyles of social insects creates the potential for crucial comparative analyses across distinct social systems.     

Female Juvenile Sexual Offenders: Understanding Who They Are and Possible Steps That May Prevent Some Girls From Offending

In recent years, there has been accumulating evidence that sexual abuse committed by females is not rare and can be just as traumatic as sexual abuse committed by males. Despite the increased recognition given to sex offending by adult women, however, very little attention has been given to sex offenses committed by juvenile females. There has further been very little published material that has focused specifically on intervening with female children and adolescents before they offend. In an attempt to fill this gap, this article describes common characteristics of juvenile female sex offenders, ways in which juvenile female sex offenders are similar to and different from juvenile male sex offenders, and the limitations that exist related to our knowledge about these offenders. Based on this information, suggestions are given for possible ways to intervene in the lives of at-risk female youth before they offend.     

Female sex offenders: a comparison of solo offenders and co-offenders

Even though much of the prior sex offender literature focuses on males, recent research has included females as offenders. Such research, however, has been limited by small sample sizes. Several researchers have proposed typologies of female sex offenders that include both females who act alone (i.e., solo offenders) and females who act with another person (i.e., co-offenders), often a male. The current research includes a cross-national sample of 123 females who were solo offenders and 104 who were co-offenders. It was found that the two groups of females were not significantly different in regard to their age, race, time of offense, and the location of the offense. Co-offenders were more likely than solo offenders to have more than one victim, to have both male and female victims, to be related to the victim, and to have a nonsexual offense in addition to the sexual offense listed.     

A Comparative Analysis of Male and Female Delinquency*

The historically dominant and generally accepted view is that males are much more likely than females to commit delinquent acts, and that when females deviate their misconduct is significantly less serious than that of males. This paper examines the recent contention that the delinquent behavior of males and females is more similar than assumed. Self-report questionnaires were administered in 1977 to a sample of 822 male and female adolescents selected from two urban high schools in a large midwestern state. Following Hindelang (1971), we concentrate on the types of delinquent acts most frequently reported, as well as the extent of involvement in these acts. While males tend to commit most offenses more frequently than females, the pattern of delinquency is virtually identical for the two groups. This uniformity holds for race-sex subgroups, although there are more similarities in delinquency within racial groups than within sex groups.     

Singers and Stereotypes: The Image of Female Recording Artists*

This study investigates the image of popular female singers in different musical styles as conveyed through their album cover photographs. Slides were made of ninety-one albums recorded by women between 1973 and 1981. They were shown in subgroups to panels of judges who rated them on thirty-one traits. These traits represent either (a) aspects of the “traditional” feminine stereotype, (b) qualities of sexual attractiveness, or (c) positive, but not specifically feminine, traits. The results indicate that female singers were rated positively, regardless of musical style. Country singers were rated relatively high on the traditional traits, while rhythm and blues artists were high on sex appeal and positive traits. Rock singers were rated as aloof and high on positive traits but low on traditionalism and sex appeal. Pop singers were not rated high or low on any dimension. Some differences in male and female raters’evaluations were found. It was concluded that female recording artists generally are not presented in the same stereotyped manner as women are usually portrayed in other forms of media advertising.     

Race,Sex, and Perception of the Occupational Opportunity Structure among College Students*

Questionnaires were administered to 70 black female, 75 black male, 1,457 white female and 1,429 white male university freshmen. In order to test three alternative theories regarding perceptions of discrimination, analyses of variance related sex, race, and SES to total scores of perceived occupational discrimination against blacks (BDST) and against women (WDST). Blacks perceived significantly more discrimination against black people than did whites; neither sex nor SES differentialed scores on BDST. Black females and white males perceived significantly more discrimination against women than did white females; black females had the highest and white females the lowest WDST scores. A discriminant analysis on white females indicated that high WDST scorers were characterized by an “underdog syndrome” whereas low WDST scorers held internal, individualistic values. The findings indicated the greatest support for the formulation that differential anticipatory socialization into the role of “a person who is discriminated against” characterized white females who perceived more or less discrimination against women.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Sex Exchange Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults

The present study examines prevalence and correlates of exchanging sex for drugs, money, food shelter, or other favors (sex exchange) among a nationally representative sample of youth and young adults. Adolescents and young adults (n = 11,620, 53% female, 47% male) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used for the current sample. Participants completed in-home interviews at both waves. Results revealed that sex exchange was reported by 4.9% (n = 569) of the population in wave 2 or wave 3, and 4.6% (n = 26) of those who exchanged sex did so at both waves. More males reported exchanging sex than females (n = 332 versus n = 237). Respondents who reported child sexual abuse were more likely to exchange sex (95% CI 2.51–4.28, p < .05) than respondents who reported any other form of child abuse. Both males and females who engaged in sex exchange were at greater risk for sexually transmitted infections; however, the odds of ever exchanging sex were highest among males who ever had gonorrhea (OR = 6.2; 95% CI 3.75–10.3). Although sex exchange has been studied extensively among homeless and runaway youth, the current study reveals sex exchange also occurs in the general population.     

Posture mirroring and interactional involvement: Sex and sex typing effects

This study investigated the effects of sex (male-male vs. female-female) and sex typing (sex typed-sex typed, sex typed-androgynous, and androgynous-androgynous) on dyadic posture mirroring between strangers in a “waiting room” context. Results revealed a significant interaction between sex composition and sex-typing composition such that among sex-typed pairs, females displayed more posture mirroring than males but among androgynous pairs, the effect was reversed with male dyads showing more posture sharing than female dyads. Results also showed a surprising negative relation between mirroring and rapport as well as a negative correlation between mirroring and verbalization. The suggestion made is that individual action in the form of talk and communal engagement in the form of mirroring may represent different modes of being involved in an interaction.     

Sex,Communication Structures and Role Specification

Abstract

This study investigates variations in male and female approaches to leadership in small discussion groups. Three aspects of leadership are investigated: (1) the nature of participation in the turn-taking system (cf. Duncan, 1972), (2) leadership role specialization (cf. Burke, 1967) and (3) the differential bases of attribution of leadership by sex. Data are obtained from 10 four-member groups, each composed of two males and two females. In half of the groups a male was appointed as coordinator, while a female was appointed as coordinator in the other half. Results indicate no differences between male and female coordinators in the number of turns taken in the discussions, but near significant differences in providing back-channel feedback to current speakers and in turn-collaborations, with male coordinators engaging in more of these activities than non-coordinators, and female coordinators engaging in fewer of these activities than non-coordinators. In terms of leadership role specialization, both male and female coordinators engage in more task oriented behaviors compared with non-coordinators, however, male coordinators also engage in more social-emotional activity while female coordinators engage in less social-emotional activity compared with non-coordinators. Finally, females are attributed leadership primarily on the basis of their directiveness while males are attributed leadership primarily on the basis of their task contributions and are denied leadership on the basis of their integrative contributions. The implications of these findings for sex role differences in leadership are discussed.     

Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor polymorphism rs2229765 and circulating interleukin-6 level affect male longevity in a population-based prospective study (Treviso Longeva--TRELONG)

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) signaling modulation has been associated with increased lifespan in model organisms, while high levels of circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) are a marker of disability and mortality. In the prospective, population-based "Treviso Longeva"--TRELONG Study from Italy (n = 668, age range 70-105.5 years at baseline, followed for seven years) we investigated the effects of survival on the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) gene polymorphism rs2229765, the IL-6 gene promoter polymorphism rs1800795, and plasma concentrations of IGF-1 and IL-6, alone or in combination. We found a sex-dependent effect for the IGF-1R rs2229765 polymorphism, as male carriers of the homozygous A/A genotype survived longer, while the IL-6 rs1800795 genotype did not influence overall or sex-specific longevity. Higher IL-6 levels were more detrimental for survival among males than females, while IGF-1 had no dose-response effect. These findings sustain the hypothesis that sex-specific longevity relies on detectable differences in genetic and biochemical parameters between males and females.     

Gender Differences in Divorce Adjustment

Gender differences in divorce adjustment were inves- tigated. It was concluded that there is sufficient evidence to demon- strate that males report less stress prior to the decision to divorce than do females, and that females fare better after separation and divorce than do males. It is argued that measures of divorce adjust- ment are either direct or indirect measures of self-esteem, and that gender differences in self-esteem exist prior to divorce and therefore account for gender differences in adjustment after divorce. It is fur- ther suggested that gender differences in the moderators of divorce adjustment (i.e., in attachment, initiation of divorce, and degree of social support) are related to gender roles and serve to reinforce gender differences in adjustment to divorce.     

Sex differences in empathy and its relation to juvenile offending

Implicit in most theoretical accounts of sex differences in offending is the assumption that females are less likely than males to engage in crime--especially serious, violent crime--in part because of their comparatively higher levels of concern for others and stronger affiliative ties. Much research suggests that significant sex differences in both empathy and serious offending emerge in adolescence, with females displaying notably higher levels of empathy and males engaging in notably higher levels of serious offending. However, there has been little empirical work assessing the degree to which sex differences in empathy among adolescents can account for sex differences in offending. This research uses data from a sample of adolescents attending public high schools in Philadelphia (n = 425) and a sample of adolescents incarcerated in the California Youth Authority (CYA) (n = 232) to examine the relation between empathy and serious offending. Results suggest that empathy acts as a protective factor for both males and females but that there are subtle differences among males and females in the relation between empathy and offending.     

The changing relationship between university education and intergenerational social mobility

This paper examines the intergenerational occupational mobility patterns for five cohorts of male and female university graduates who received degrees between i960 and 1976. After 1964 there is a marked decline in the prospects of both males and females for upward intergenerational mobility. Males still experience more mobility than females in all time periods, although the sex difference appears to be diminishing over time. This pattern reflects worsened mobility prospects for males rather than any improvement for females. Regional comparisons in the 1976 national data identify differences in the distribution of father's occupational prestige across Canada and, therefore, different structural conditions by region for intergenerational occupational mobility.
This paper examines three issues in intergenerational social mobility as measured by occupational achievement. Using new and earlier published data on five cohorts of graduates, we examine the extent to which university education has declined over time as a route to upward intergenerational mobility. Changes in the labour market for graduates are identified as the major reasons for such declines. Second, we examine the extent to which sex differences in intergenerational mobility have diminished over time and the extent to which this is a consequence of worsening mobility prospects for males rather than improving prospects for females. Third, we examine some differences in intergenerational mobility patterns for the five economic regions of Canada.     

Sex differences in the encoding and decoding of negative facial emotions

To study the effects of gender on ability to recognize facial expressions of emotion, two separate samples of male and female undergraduates (727 in Study 1, 399 in Study 2) judged 120 color photographs of people posing one of four negative emotions: anger, disgust, fear, and sadness. Overall, females exceeded males in their ability to recognize emotions whether expressed by males or by females. As an exception, males were superior to females in recognizing male anger. The findings are discussed in terms of social sex-roles.Portions of this paper were presented at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, New York: August, 1987.     

Stress,satisfaction and role conflict in dual-doctor partnerships

Stress in doctors has major implications for themselves, their family and patients. In dual-doctor partnerships, stress may or may not be compounded. Previous studies have suggested that demands of work have a greater impact on home life than vice versa, and that there may be a gender difference in stress between work and home. This study compared perceived stress, satisfaction and conflict for professional males and females working in dual-doctor partnerships investigating the bi-directional relationship between work and home roles. A sample of 244 male and female doctors in dual-career partnerships working in the National Health Service in Scotland completed a self-report questionnaire. Male doctors perceived their work as more stressful and less satisfying than females. Work stress had a greater impact on home life than vice versa, but there were no gender differences in levels of stress from work to home (WH) or home to work (HW). However, more males than females, particularly younger males, reported that work was a source of conflict with their partner. WH stress predicted marital conflict for both male and female doctors, whereas HW stress predicted marital conflict only for females. Time on call out of hours, the ethical commitment to medicine, and work encroaching into family time were identified as major sources of conflict. These findings have implications both for the well-being of doctors and their families, and for patient care, and for other professionals in dual-career partnerships.     

Touching Behavior in Sport: Functional Components, Analysis of Sex Differences, and Ethological Considerations

Little research exists regarding sex differences in touching behavior in sport or recreational settings. This study investigates sex differences in amounts, types, and factors influencing same-sex touching in a sport context. Subjects were 119 members of four men's college varsity baseball teams and 52 members of three women's college varsity softball teams. All touches performed on-field between team members were recorded and classified using an ethogram designed for this study. As hypothesized, statistically significant differences were found in the following areas: females performed more touching behaviors than males, almost half of the behavior types observed were performed more frequently by one sex than the other, males performed touching behaviors more frequently at away than home games, females performed touching behaviors more frequently at home than away games, and females performed more touching behaviors than males after negative game events. The findings and implications are discussed in relation to the touching behavior literature, ethology, and comparative psychology.