Introduction

Scarborough & Furumoto (1987) observe the unfortunate reality that "courses and even the most recent textbooks tend to perpetuate the myth of a womanless history" (p. 1). A critical historical review reveals not only the many contributions women have indeed made to the social sciences, but also the numerous obstacles which stood in their way. To fully appreciate the contributions of women throughout the history of the social sciences, it is important to recognize the social, historical context in which they lived. "In the nineteenth century, Americans were obsessed with the idea of "woman's sphere," revealed in part by the torrent of prescriptive literature that appeared between 1820 and 1900 exhorting women to conform to a particular feminine role. A woman's life pattern in that period typically followed a straight and narrow path from childhood and upbringing in a family, through an apprenticeship in nurturing and domestic skills during adolescence, to marriage and motherhood" (p. 2). "Societal norms, husbands' expectations, and the belief systems of the women themselves militated against attempts to be both a professional and a wife" (p. 71).

"The entry of women into higher education was accomplished over protest which from time to time shifted its grounds for opposition. For centuries popular opinion had questioned whether women were educable, and doubts lingered in the minds of many" (p. 3). With no role models before them, "at first even women who themselves passionately desired higher education were unsure about women's potential for intellectual achievement" (p. 3). "Despite the protest, women entered higher education in ever increasing numbers and, in the latter decades of the century, established themselves on the academic scene. At about the same time, a proliferation of professions was under way, and the social sciences ... were beginning to emerge as disciplines within colleges and universities" (p. 4).

Once women began to enter academic and professional realms, a new set of obstacles lay before them. Teaching was a traditional profession for women to pursue after graduate education, but this too was limited by multiple factors. Women were often relegated to women's colleges, as they were restricted from teaching men, and even this was often conditional upon marital status. "Marriage meant that a woman faculty member lost her position ... even at women's colleges" (p. 156). Women's university affiliation often came with limited privileges and without support for research or the security of tenured position. The contributions of many women were achieved largely in spite of these factors - with much fortitude, determination and persistence.

Scarborough, E. & Furumoto, L. (1987). Untold Lives: The first generation of American women psychologists. New York: Columbia University Press.


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