Sinful Femininity: How the Villainization of Desire and Curiosity in Pandora’s Box Led to Gendered Biases in Psychology

Authors

Hannah Pitkofsky, Binghamton University--SUNY

Publication Date

2024

Document Type

Book

Description

Mythology has a strong influence on societal views surrounding certain topics, including femininity, curiosity, and desire. However, the images presented in these stories are often artificially crafted with implicit biases that allegorize subjectivities of femininity in modern science. This paper examines the relationship between science and culture and the ways that they influence each other. More specifically, it compares the original myth of Pandora’s Box and the corresponding psychological Pandora effect by analyzing written language patterns and examining their scientific implications. This research argues that the current usage of the Pandora myth furthers patriarchal traditionalism by institutionalizing gender stereotypes. It contributes to the growing field of gender studies in antiquity with a historiographical and scientific perspective while also studying the impact that gender biases have on modern views of women in science and culture.

Files

Recommended Citation

Pitkofsky, Hannah, "Sinful Femininity: How the Villainization of Desire and Curiosity in Pandora’s Box Led to Gendered Biases in Psychology" (2024). Research Days Posters 2024. 155.
https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters_2024/155