Q.1 What does 'gender representation' primarily refer to in sociology?
The biological differences between men and women
How genders are portrayed in society, media, and culture
Legal rights provided to different genders
The numerical count of men and women in a population
Explanation - Gender representation refers to how different genders are depicted across media, institutions, and cultural practices, influencing social perceptions.
Correct answer is: How genders are portrayed in society, media, and culture
Q.2 Which medium is most influential in shaping public perceptions of gender roles?
Television and film
Government policies
School textbooks
Sports events
Explanation - Television and films play a major role in normalizing and spreading particular gender stereotypes and expectations.
Correct answer is: Television and film
Q.3 When advertisements show women only in domestic roles, this is an example of:
Gender neutrality
Gender equality
Gender stereotyping
Gender balance
Explanation - Portraying women exclusively in household roles reinforces stereotypes about their societal position.
Correct answer is: Gender stereotyping
Q.4 Which concept highlights the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions?
Glass ceiling
Gender neutrality
Cultural lag
Patriarchy
Explanation - The 'glass ceiling' refers to invisible barriers that prevent women from reaching top-level positions despite qualifications.
Correct answer is: Glass ceiling
Q.5 In media, the 'male gaze' refers to:
Men watching sports
Women being represented from a masculine, heterosexual perspective
Equal portrayal of men and women
Men controlling media organizations
Explanation - Laura Mulvey's concept of the 'male gaze' critiques how women are often depicted as objects of male desire in visual culture.
Correct answer is: Women being represented from a masculine, heterosexual perspective
Q.6 Showing women as emotional and men as rational in films is an example of:
Gender complementarity
Gender equality
Gender stereotyping
Gender justice
Explanation - Assigning fixed emotional or rational traits to genders perpetuates stereotypes rather than representing individuals accurately.
Correct answer is: Gender stereotyping
Q.7 Which of the following is an effect of unequal gender representation in media?
Balanced workforce participation
Distorted public perceptions of gender roles
Equal educational opportunities
Elimination of stereotypes
Explanation - When media reinforces stereotypes, it influences how society views and expects genders to behave.
Correct answer is: Distorted public perceptions of gender roles
Q.8 Which gender theory is most connected to analyzing representation in popular culture?
Liberal feminism
Psychoanalytic feminism
Postmodern feminism
Radical feminism
Explanation - Postmodern feminism explores how cultural texts and media representations shape ideas of gender and identity.
Correct answer is: Postmodern feminism
Q.9 What does 'symbolic annihilation' mean in gender studies?
When a gender is legally abolished
When media ignores, trivializes, or misrepresents a group
When one gender dominates politics
When men and women get equal opportunities
Explanation - Symbolic annihilation is a term by Gaye Tuchman describing media’s neglect or misrepresentation of women.
Correct answer is: When media ignores, trivializes, or misrepresents a group
Q.10 If women are always portrayed as dependent in films, what is likely reinforced?
Gender fluidity
Traditional gender hierarchies
Gender equality
Androgyny
Explanation - Such portrayals reinforce ideas that women should rely on men, maintaining unequal hierarchies.
Correct answer is: Traditional gender hierarchies
Q.11 Which of these industries is criticized for 'sexual objectification' of women?
Fashion and advertising
Agriculture
Banking
Engineering
Explanation - Fashion and advertising often reduce women to physical appearances, objectifying them for marketing purposes.
Correct answer is: Fashion and advertising
Q.12 What does 'hegemonic masculinity' mean in representation studies?
Men and women having equal power
The dominant cultural ideal of masculinity that subordinates others
The representation of men in minority groups
A neutral portrayal of both genders
Explanation - Hegemonic masculinity refers to culturally exalted masculinity that legitimizes male dominance over women and other masculinities.
Correct answer is: The dominant cultural ideal of masculinity that subordinates others
Q.13 Which children’s media product has often been criticized for reinforcing gender stereotypes?
Superhero comics
Cooking shows
Sports commentary
Weather forecasts
Explanation - Superhero comics traditionally depict male heroes as strong and female characters as secondary or overly sexualized.
Correct answer is: Superhero comics
Q.14 Gender representation in textbooks often reflects:
Progressive social values
Neutral depictions
Traditional gender roles
Complete gender equality
Explanation - Studies show textbooks often depict men in professional roles and women in domestic ones, reinforcing stereotypes.
Correct answer is: Traditional gender roles
Q.15 What is the 'Bechdel Test' used to measure?
The number of male leads in a movie
The representation of women in films
Audience reactions to films
Box office success of female-led movies
Explanation - The Bechdel Test checks if a film has at least two women who talk to each other about something other than a man.
Correct answer is: The representation of women in films
Q.16 In advertising, portraying men as breadwinners and women as homemakers represents:
Gender equality
Traditional gender stereotypes
Role reversal
Progressive representation
Explanation - Such portrayals reinforce outdated ideas of men as providers and women as caregivers.
Correct answer is: Traditional gender stereotypes
Q.17 Which feminist scholar introduced the concept of 'intersectionality' that affects representation?
Judith Butler
bell hooks
Kimberlé Crenshaw
Simone de Beauvoir
Explanation - Intersectionality highlights how gender representation intersects with race, class, and other identities.
Correct answer is: Kimberlé Crenshaw
Q.18 In many news reports, crimes against women are framed as:
Isolated incidents
Systemic gender violence
Acts of resistance
Gender-neutral events
Explanation - Media often frames crimes against women as isolated rather than linking them to broader patterns of gender violence.
Correct answer is: Isolated incidents
Q.19 What is a major criticism of beauty pageants in gender representation debates?
They promote sports culture
They objectify women based on appearance
They exclude men completely
They encourage higher education for women
Explanation - Critics argue beauty pageants reduce women’s value to physical beauty, reinforcing narrow gender standards.
Correct answer is: They objectify women based on appearance
Q.20 The phrase 'boys don’t cry' is an example of:
Emotional neutrality
Toxic masculinity
Gender equality
Role reversal
Explanation - Such phrases enforce harmful stereotypes about men suppressing emotions, a feature of toxic masculinity.
Correct answer is: Toxic masculinity
Q.21 Which of these is an example of positive gender representation?
A woman portrayed as a scientist in a film
A man shown only as aggressive
Women represented as weak in politics
Men shown as incapable fathers
Explanation - Depicting women in diverse professional roles challenges stereotypes and promotes equality.
Correct answer is: A woman portrayed as a scientist in a film
Q.22 What term is used when men dominate speaking roles in movies and media?
Gendered silence
Male dominance
Verbal hegemony
Symbolic annihilation
Explanation - When women are silenced or given fewer speaking roles, it reflects symbolic annihilation in representation.
Correct answer is: Symbolic annihilation
Q.23 The 'Strong Black Woman' stereotype in media is criticized because it:
Empowers women equally
Ignores vulnerabilities and diversity within identities
Shows women as leaders
Highlights intersectionality positively
Explanation - This stereotype oversimplifies and erases complex lived experiences, placing unfair expectations on women of color.
Correct answer is: Ignores vulnerabilities and diversity within identities
Q.24 Which gender representation issue is linked to the gaming industry?
Overrepresentation of female leaders
Sexualized portrayals of women characters
Excess of female developers
Gender-neutral avatars
Explanation - Many video games have been criticized for depicting women as overly sexualized rather than complex characters.
Correct answer is: Sexualized portrayals of women characters
Q.25 Who argued that gender is 'performed' rather than inherent, influencing representation studies?
Judith Butler
Michel Foucault
Angela Davis
Gloria Steinem
Explanation - Judith Butler’s theory of gender performativity emphasizes that gender roles are socially constructed and performed.
Correct answer is: Judith Butler