A2 GENDER - INFLUENCE OF CULTURE AND MEDIA ON GENDER DEVELOPMENT Flashcards
Describe the purpose of cross cultural research into gender
If a beh is consistent across cultures, then it could be innate and have a biological basis, but if it’s inconsistent, then there may be some influence of social factors on that beh
Describe cultural differences in gender
Margaret Mead (1935) studied 3 tribal groups on the island of New Guinea; Arapesh tribe, Mundugamor tribe and the Tchambuli tribe:
- Arapesh were gentle and responsive (similar to Western idea of femininity)
- Mundugamor were aggressive and hostile (similar to Western idea of masculinity
- Tchambuli women were dominant and organised village life, whilst men were considered “decorative”; opposite of Western gender stereotypes
From these findings, Mead concluded that there may not be a direct relationship between biological sex and gender.
Describe the cultural similarities in gender
Buss (1995) found cnsistent patterns in mate preferences (a gender role beh) across 37 countries across all continents; women preferred men with wealth and resources, whilst men preferred women who showed youth and attractiveness; therefore some gender beh.s could be innate and not socially constructed
Munroe and Munroe (1975) also found that across almost all countries, men are the breadwinners and women are the carers and nurturers
Evaluate Mead’s research
(-) Freeman (1983) suggested Mead showed heavy observer bias in her findings; decreased validity and not objective
(-) Imposed etic; as a Westerner, Mead could’ve just imposed her standards of what was aggressive, but that could’ve been perceived differently by that culture; assuming an emic construct (something culture specific) is actually etic (universal)
(-) Cross cultural research like Mead’s doesn’t actually help the nature-nurture debate very much as it’s v difficult to separate them; as soon as a baby is born, it’s being socialised
(-) Williams and Best (1990) found universal agreement about what’s masculine and what’s feminine; masculine included dominance and independence, femininity included being social and caring
Describe studies supporting the rigid gender stereotypes portrayed in the media
Bussey and Bandura (1999) found that in media, men are shown as “ambitious” and “advice givers”, whilst women are “dependent” and “advice seekers”
=> media portrays rigid gender roles
Furnham and Farragher (2000) found that in TV adverts, men were far more likely to be shown in professional, autonomous roles, whilst women had family and domestic roles
=> media portrays rigid gender roles
Huston and Wright (1998) found that in US TV programmes, men almost always outnumber women and play a wide range of dominant roles with higher occupational status, whilst women play a narrow set of usually inferior roles and were less able to deal with problems
=> TV programmes reinforce idea that women are inferior and aren’t capable of being independent
Describe the process of information giving through media for gender
McGhee and Frueh (1980) found that kids who were more exposed to media showed more stereotypical gender beh than those who weren’t
Media (especially social media) may give us info to increase the likelihood of us adopting gender-specific behs; seeing others perform these gender behs reinforces our own self confidence to do the same - called SELF EFFICIACY
Evaluate the influence of media on gender
(+) Kirran-Swaine et al (2013) examined 78000 Twitter messages and found strong evidence of gender driven language; women used far more emojis and emotive language than men, especially when talking to other women
(+) McGhee and Frueh (1980) found +ve correlation bet media exposure and gender stereotypical beh in kids
(-) Correlation not causation; could be argued that media just reflects gener roles and doesn’t actually influence them
(-) Lots of counter-stereotype media e.g. Disney’s “Brave” (2012); shows not all media fuels gender roles
