Sociologists take interest in the process by which people attempt to present themselves in gendered ways. This “impression management” can be seen in how people choose to construct themselves in their Facebook profile. Sharing personal information such as one’s interests, favorite books, television shows, and quotes are a great way of digitizing one’s personality and presenting the self. Hubspot examined hundreds of Facebook profiles and found that women tend to have more descriptions of themselves in their information section. Women also have 55% more posts on their walls than men. This could be attributed to the idea that women are more socially minded than men; communication and expressing oneself is more common and acceptable for women. This raises questions about whether there are gendered differences in how people use and portray themselves in social networking sites.

In my own project, I looked at 50 (25 males and 25 females) of my friends’ Facebook profile pictures to evaluate gender differences. I found that females are more likely to post more attractive photos of themselves (over 80% in my project), such as ones where they are getting ready to go out, or using certain angles to emphasize the face. I do not claim that males are more likely to put up “bad” photos of themselves; instead, they are more willing to put up “silly” pictures, like making a funny face or doing some kind of activity where the focus isn’t on their face, such as fishing or talking to someone else (about 50%). This finding suggests that women may feel more pressure than men to display great photos of themselves because there has always been a huge focus on female appearances. Some women may even base their identity and self-esteem on their looks because of the emphasis that media places on appearances. On the other hand, men may not be so pre-occupied with using their looks to try to attract people.

Earlier this year, a University of Buffalo study found that females who base their self-worth on appearances are more likely to share more pictures online. These results are congruent with my finding that sharing photos are a great way to depict a self, especially for those who value appearances. The abundance of photos that women take and share indicate that visual images are important to them. Because of how pervasive social media is, seeing other people’s Facebook profiles and pictures can influence one’s own conception of gender. Facebook is an opportunity to recreate and present a self that you want to represent to the world. The fact that profiles are mutable shows that the construction of gender and identity is created over and over again.

_{“Bryant Park, late Apr 2009 – 21″ photo by Ed Yourdon used under Creative Commons License
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_{Jerry Sandusky photo by marksmet551 used under Creative Commons License
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Is There Ever a Right Time To Say Yes?
Ever wonder why women stay with their partner even after they have committed serious crimes such as in the Penn State child abuse case? Jessica LeRoy was interviewed on this topic in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. So what are the psychological reasons a woman would stand by her man, read on to find out.



Why Does She Stay With Him?
Ever wonder why women stay with their partner even after they have committed serious crimes such as in the Penn State child abuse case? Jessica LeRoy was interviewed on this topic in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. So what are the psychological reasons a woman would stand by her man, read on to find out.

The Top 4 Bad Work Habits to Stop Now
Center founder Jessica LeRoy chats with Glamour Magazine and in this video discussing bad work habits to stop now before you burnout or get
yourself sick.






Huffington Posts Talks to Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy about the trend of Push Presents
It’s hard to open a tabloid these days without seeing the “Push Present” Craze. Real Housewives, celebrities, and socialites get these gifts after giving birth. Over half the pregnant women in America now expect them too. Huffington Post asked Jessica LeRoy what to expect when feminism meets diamonds.

Cosmo Magazine Interviews Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy On Ways To Maintain Friendships When They Start To Have Children
Jessica LeRoy spoke with Cosmopolitan Magazine on how to maintain your friendships through the trials and tribulations of having children.

Clinical Director, Jessica LeRoy, talks to USC’s Annenberg School about being Single in Los Angeles
Love is a battlefield and Jessica LeRoy is here to guide you over its rocky terrain. Los Angeles is the most single city in the country which speaks to the challenges of meeting people as well as great opportunities to make a match.

Jessica LeRoy Interviewed by About.com on Working with Your Spouse
All work and no play makes for a world of hurt, especially when you work with your spouse. Our Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy and Our Marketing Director, Mark LeRoy gave About.com’s Newlywed section a few hints for keeping a relationship strong at the office and at home?



Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy Interviewed about Emotional Infidelity
Could your iphone be turning you into an adulterer? Maybe. No, there is not an “app.” for that, but it turns out that the digital age may be doing more than wrecking havoc on our collective attention span. It could be causing an increase in affairs. Our hyper-connectivity online makes it easier to stumble into the danger zone. It’s easier than ever to find that ex-boyfriend from college on Facebook, or keep in contact with that charming co-worker through casual flirtations over email. Our Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy and Woman’s Day magazine sat down to discuss emotional infidelity in today’s plugged in world.

Jessica LeRoy’s Take on Celebrity Body Language in For Women First Magazine
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a picture of celebrities is worth even more. And a picture of a celebrity baby, well…fuggedaboutit. In this article from For Women First magazine, Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy teams up with other professionals in the field to use those thousand words to dissect the body language of celebrities caught in…

Jessica LeRoy Gives Advice on Domestic Violence to Your Tango Community
Our Clinical Director Jessica LeRoy speaks on what to do if a person you love is in an abusive relationship in this Yourtango.com article by Lyz Lenz. This topic hits close to home, as LeRoy has been witness to a family member’s abusive relationship.

WebMD interviews Clinical Director
The current fascination with cankles (a term referring to thick ankles, combining “calf” and “ankle”) is as trendy and overplayed as TomKat, Brangelina, or any other hybrid-named pairing. Our recent Facebook rant about Gold Gym’s “Cankles Awareness Month” campaign got the attention of Wendy C. Fries, WebMD’s Senior Editor.

Clinical Director named as Women’s Health Hero
Jessica’s work with abused women, as well as her path to becoming the founder of The Center for the Psychology of Women are both detailed in her nomination. Learn what makes Jessica and the rest of the nominees heroes by viewing their nominations here.

Clinical Director acknowledged in the Los Feliz Ledger
Just think, an internationally recognized women’s therapist, right here in Echo Park! The June, 2009 issue of the Los Feliz Ledger has acknowledged the Center’s Clinical Director, Jessica LeRoy as being named one of the Our Bodies Ourselves Women’s Health Heroes for 2009.

Clinical Director was interviewed by Variety Magazine
Think Reality TV is a guilty pleasure? Think again! Our Clinical Director, Jessica LeRoy has been interviewed by Variety magazine about the lessons the show Wife Swap can teach us about interacting more effectively with our families.

Radio Interview With Jessica LeRoy Regarding The Eliot Spitzer Wife Cheating Scandal
Although it seems like every scroll down The Huffington Post reveals another headline about a politician cheating on his wife, the story is never a ho-hum cliché for the woman experiencing the betrayal of a cheating spouse. This was the topic of the conversation Clinical Director, Jessica Leroy had with radio station KNX 1070 in the wake of the Eliot Spitzer scandal.

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The Center hosted their holiday party at Ray’s and Stark Bar at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. It was a beautiful evening with the lights from Chris Burden’s Urban Light shining on us for a fun group photo. We drank wine, ate delicious appetizers, and had the chance to connect outside of the office. We even had a secret Santa. It was so nice to be able to pause, reflect, and truly be appreciative for the wonderful people in your life. I am thankful for each and every person who works for the Center, and for our amazing clients who allow us the privilege of being a part of their lives. The Center wishes everyone a very joyous holiday and new year!

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Nevertheless, my husband and I went to the performance and as a result, I am a changed person. The play and performances were fantastic but there was something about seeing it in person, live, that really created an energy and made it easier to connect to the material and the actors. The play was about a mother and daughter over the holidays who are coming up on the year anniversary of their husband/father’s death. Loss, grieving and coping, or lack of coping were main themes in the play, along with the idea of family and the coming together and the divide that can occur with a major family tragedy.

Here we are now in the midst of the holidays and seeing this play and speaking on the panel reminded me of how difficult this time of year can be. My husband and I lost his grandmother a few years back who he was very close to. His grandmother was a well-respected Los Angeles lady about town, almost what you’d call a socialite. Every holiday she would feel the need to go on a driving tour throughout Los Angeles to tip the staff at her country club, her door men, and the hosts at her favorite restaurants. My husband and I would go with her a bit sheepishly and find the whole ritual a bit obnoxious and silly. But now we don’t have anyone in our lives who does this kind ritualistic tipping and we realize it’s like a lost art. There is so much we would be willing to give to partake in this ritual with grandma just one more time.

We all have stories like this one about our loved ones who have passed or who are just too far away to spend the holidays with. It can tend to feel like an open space where it should be filled. Maybe it’s because they where the one who always decorated the tree, or made the pie, or tipped the random stranger. Try to fill that space in memory of the one who can no longer be there by baking that pie in their honor with their recipe. My husband and I do not have a country club, or door men, so we’ll have to come up with the current version of tipping for the holidays. Any suggestions out there would be welcomed!

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