Ch. 5 Flashcards
sex
biological status of being male or female
gender
social categories of male and female, established according to cultural beliefs and practices
traditional girl roles
spend time with mothers and female relatives
-focus on childcare of younger children, cooking, cleaning
-restricted sexuality
-few opportunities to interact with males
traditional boy roles
spend time with peers
-less connected to family
-work alongside fathers when they reach adolescence
-education and opportunities become less narrow in adolescence
-sexual exploration is encouraged
-must ‘earn’ manhood
male achievements in traditional cultures
1) provide
-by demonstrating economically useful skills
2) protect
-against attacks by enemies and animal predators
3) procreate
-demonstrate confidence and boldness, some sexual experience
change in gender attitudes 1970-2012
2012: adults were less likely to believe men are better suited for politics
-less likely to see women as the ones who take care of a home
-more likely to believe working women can have warm relationships with their children
gender intensification hypothesis
psychological and behavioral differences between males and females become more pronounced during the transition to adolescence
-intensified socialization to conform to culturally prescribed gender roles
-girls more susceptible to pressure than boys, manifesting as preoccupation w/ appearance and weight
-boys experiencing intensified gender socialization -> aggression
differential gender socialization
term for socializing males and females according to different expectations
-begins with dressing babies and toys they’re given
-in school, teachers and peers reward children who conform to gender roles and reject those who don’t
emerging adulthood and gender
explorations of worldviews and critical thinking skills are more developed
-question gender expectations of culture
-in cultures and subcultures with broad socialization overall, teens and embracing adults are becoming more comfortable challenging gender roles
-embracing androgyny and non-binary ideas about gender
Kohlberg’s theory of gender
3 yrs: children understand they’re male or female (basic gender identity)
4-5 yrs.: organized info about world (toys, clothes, activities, and behaviors categorized as ‘for boys/girls’) based on gender identity
-intensifies in early adolescence, as they attain ‘formal’ thinking abilities that allow self-reflection and idealization
gender schema theory
cognitive structure that organize info from the world
-using processes of assimilation and accommodation, we notice information that fits with gender schemas
-ignore what’s inconsistent until those consistencies build up to a critical point
-gender accommodation is rare
Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)
originally developed based on college students’ ratings of traits more desirable for a man or woman (1974)
-consistently verified across 30 countries (1990)
-characterized as expressive or instrumental traits
expressive traits
personality characteristics such as gentle and yielding, more often ascribed to females, emphasizing emotions and relationships
-in rating 10 most important qualities, “kind and honest” was #1 for men/women
instrumental traits
personality characteristics such as self-reliant and forceful, most often ascribed to male
-emphasize action and accomplishment
gender noncomformity
embracing both types of personality characteristics -> positive self-image for girls than boys
-woman’s movement of 1960’s made it more desirable for females to be ambitious, athletic, independent
-males haven’t been as encouraged to demonstrate ‘feminine’ traits
-females are able to violate gender norms w/ fewer social consequences than males due to higher societal status of males vs. females
-doing things ‘like a girl’ connotes inferiority
