Cultural and media influences. Flashcards
Why is cross cultural research valuable for gender?
-Cross cultural research is noted for its contribution to the nature/nurture debate.
-If general behaviour is consistent across cultures we can assume it represents an innate biological difference between males and females. But if they are different we can assume it is because of socialisation in different norms and values.
Mead’s research?
Margaret Mead 1935 studied three cultural groups in Papua New Guinea.
The Arapesh were gentle and responsive (typically feminine in industrial societies). The Mundugumor were aggressive and hostile (masculine traits in industrialised societies). The Tchambuli women were dominant and organised the village whereas the men were passive and ‘decorative’ (reversed gender roles).
-This suggests that gender roles are culturally determined and not a straightforward biological relationship.
What three tribes did Mead study?
Arapesh, Mundugumor and tchambuli.
What is Mead later say about her research?
In her later work, Mead says she underestimated the universal nature of gender behaviours, but suggested the extent to which those innate behaviours are expressed is influenced mainly by culture.
Malinowski’s research into cultural differences?
Malinowski et al 1929 studied the Trobiand islanders and reported that the women were highly sexually aggressive (not typical of industrialised societies).
Buss et al’s research into cultural similarities?
Buss 1965 found consistent patterns in mate preferences across 37 countries in all continents.
In all cultures, women looked for wealth and resources whereas men were concerned with youth and physical attractiveness.
Munroe and Munroe cultural similarities research?
Munroe and Munroe 1975 revealed that in most societies division of labour is organised along gender lines, where men are typically breadwinners and women are nurturers.
William and Best research into cultural similarities?
William and Best 1990- tested 3000 students in 30 countries with a 300 adjective list, where they had to categorise each word as male or female. There was broad agreement across all countries.
Strengths of cultural differences?
Research support- Hosftede 2001 argues that in industrialised cultures, the changing status and expectations of women are a result of their increasingly active role in the workplace and away from the domestic sphere.
Traditional societies still have women occupy the role of house maker, because of social, religious and cultural pressures, suggesting gender roles are down to context.
Weaknesses of cultural influences?
Mead’s research- has been accused of making generalisations based on a short period of study. Freeman 1983 carried out a follow up study and argued Mead had been misled by some participants, and her preconceptions of what she would find influenced her view, so results were flawed. This is ethnocentrism and observer bias and conclusions drawn are not valid.
Why does the media influence gender behaviour?
-The media provide role models whom children identify with and want to imitate.
-Children are likely to select role models who are the same gender as them and engage in stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour.
What did Bussey and Bandura say about rigid stereotypes in the media?
Bussey and Bandura 1999- men are ambitious, independent, advice givers, whereas women are depicted as unambitious advice seekers.
Furnham and Farragher study into TV adverts?
Furnham and Farragher 2000 studied TV adverts. Men were more likely to be shown in autonomous roles with professional context and women were shown in domestic settings occupying family roles.
The media plays a role in reinforcing social stereotypes.
What is self efficacy in terms of gender and media?
The media may also give information on the success of adopting gender typical behaviours. Seeing people adopt such behaviours allows a child to believe they can adopt them too.
Mitra et al 2019?
Mitra et al 2019 studied attitudes of people in India who watched a programme designed to challenge gender roles. Girls who watched the programme were more able to see themselves as capable of working outside the home than females that hadn’t seen it.
