Chapter 12: Gender Roles

physical characteristics that define male/female

the features that society associates with or considers appropriate for men and women

females-xx males-yx -different hormone balances and reproductive capacity -males grow more and females live longer and are less susceptible to physical disorders

patterns of behavior that females/males should adopt in a particular society(varies by culture)

Generated by gender role norms -overgeneralized, largely inaccurate beliefs about what each sex is like ex: men never ask for directions

Womens role is nurturer and childbearer and it shapes their gender role norms -communality is at the heart of these norms Males role is orientated towards action

orientation that emphasizes connectedness to others and includes traits of emotionality and sensitivity to others -girls who adopt this trait will be prepared to be a wife/mother

male orientation toward individual action and achievement emphasized traits: dominance, independence, assertiveness, competitive, -central for husband/father roles-providing for family and protecting from harm

said it was more accurate to focus on similarities -men and moment and boys and girls are more alike than different

1.

Females sometimes display greater verbal abilities 2. Males are better at spatial activities -males and femlaes perform similarly on standardized tests 3. Girls have greater memory ability 4. Males are more agressive (both physically and verbally) 5. Before birth and throughout childhood males are more physically active and developmentally vulnerable 6. Girls are more complent and cooperative with adults 7.

Females are more nurrturant and empathetic **There are ranges between groups and in groups!

gender/norms and stereotypes effect how we percieve ourselves and others -genders conform to gender roles by pursuing common vocations and lifestyles -occupations and family work tend to be gender segregated

differences between sexes at birth are small and inconsistent but they receive differential treatment soon after birth -boys are described in masculine terms and girls are described in feminine terms ex: He is so strong, she is so adorable -clothing, hairstyles, toys and rooms differ

-infants learn sex categories and associate themselves where they belong -by 18 months toddlers can understand if they are like boys or girls -verbal proof of gender by age 2.5-3 -with acquiring gender identities that begin to demonstrate preferences for gender appropriate activities/toys

the way children may not yet aquire awareness of their biological sex but they understand the motives, values, patterns of behaviors that their culture considers appropriate for members of their gender

biological causes because it could be caused by differences in the way males/females are perceived and raised

they become aware of their gender identities ex: as early as age 3 girls knew that they play with barbies and boys play with trucks

Children expressed positive emotions at the thought of holding gender stereotypic adult jobs -rigidity about these sterotypes is especially high during preschool years

-children begin to favor same sex playmates as early as 30-36 months and it increases during elem. school -partly due to incompatability between girls/boys play styles -children who insist most strongly on these boundaries tend to be popular and socially competent

-boys tend to face stronger pressures to adhere to the gender-role expectations

-return to intolerence about gender roles and violations -experience gender intensification (puberty and pressure to be liked by the opp.

sex)

-Money and Ernhardt -highlights the ways biological events influence development and how early biological events and social reactions relate to gender roles ex: Hormones, secondary sex characteristics -these events combined with a persons self-concept as a male or female provide the basis for adult gender identity and role behavior -labels and treatment affect gender development -from 18 months- 3 years there is a period of time where societies label attached to the child will stick

-children learn gender identities, preferences and behaviors through 2 processes 1. Differential Reinforcement- children are rewarded for sex-appropriate behaviors -discipline differs between mother and father -parents who show the clearest patterns of dif. reinforcement have children who are quick to label themselves -fathers are more likely to reward childrens gender-like behavior 2. Observational Learning- children adopt the attitudes and behaviors of same-sex models -children learn from the media-radio, tv, movies, books, video games

-Kholberg -2 themes 1.

Children must aquire certain understandings about gender before they will be influences by their social experiences 2. children engage in self socialization

children actively socializing themselves rather than being passive targets of social influence

-Martin and Halverson -Gender Schema: organized sets of beliefs and expectations about males/females that influence the kinds of information children will attend to and remember -children aquire in-group/outgroup schemas that allow them to classify some objects, behaviors and roles as appropriate for their sex -once gender schemata are in place, children will distort new information in memory so that is is consistent with their schema

-adults fill their agentic and communal roles throughout their lives and the roles become more distinct in marriage/parenthood

women and men retain their gender-typed qualities and add qualities traditonally associated with the other sex at midlife, women and men are freed from the demands of the parental imperative -men become less active and focus on religion/family -women become more active, dommineeing and assertive (stronger community forces)

(age 2-3) children can recognize themselves as male/female and behave accordingly

Age 4): the understanding that gender is stable over time

(5-7): children realize their sex is stable across situations ex: can not be changes by dressing up as the opposite sex or doing opposite gender activitites

preschool