Belenky's Theory

Theories about psychology have often been proven wrong over the course of time. At one point, Freud and his theories were seen as a revelation. Later on, people gawked at his ideas and moved on to Binet. Trends come and go over time but what makes a theory important is that it changed the way people looked at the world around them. Belenky and Gardner have both changed the field of psychology by offering a previously unheard of theory. Belenky’s theory that women may think in a different way has changed not just psychology but teaching as well. She presented the idea that women may learn in a more intimate, connected environment. This can be carried out by having students work in groups rather than individually. Teachers today no longer purely lecture but instead cater to the many different types of learners. Belenky gave women a voice in psychology. She was the first to point out that studies conducted in psychology usually had a male basis and were presented in a way that focused on the man. This came at an important time in history, when women were just beginning to have their own voice outside of the home or even inside of it. Her theory validated the idea that women are different than men. This carried on to other professional fields where women had previously been excluded sue to their sex. Feminism has been forever altered by Belenky’s work in psychology. She created way for women to express themselves without being ridiculed for being “womanly”. Women have always been seen as being more delicate than men, prone to hysterics in stressful situations, and led by their emotions rather than intellect. Belenky presented a way for women to show that they do think in a valid, organized way. Even though their though process is not the same, women do have something unique to offer that some men cannot; connectedness. According to Gardner’s theory versus Perry’s theory, men see everything in black in white whereas women have different perspectives. Another