Culture and media influences on gender AO3

Question 1

Name a first AO3 point

Answer 1

P: There are cultural similarities
E: Eagly and Wood 1999 argued that because of the differences between men and women biologically allows them to perform certain tasks efficiently
E: For example, childbearing and nursing infants mean that women are less likely to take on roles than require extended absences from home. Men’s greater speed and upper body strength make them more efficient in tasks that require intensive outbursts of energy and strength.
L: this suggests that gender roles occur because of biology and not cultural differences

Question 2

Name a second AO3 point:

Answer 2

P: Evidence of cross cultural research might be flawed
E: Freeman in 1984 argued that the data from Mead’s study was not valid as the indigenous population may have told Mead what she wanted to hear. (low internal validity messes with the findings of the results)
E: He himself had worked with Samoans of which they told him that they created a false picture of their behaviour
L: These flaws in the evidence of cross cultural research limit the conclusions that can be drawn

Question 3

Name a third AO3 point:

Answer 3

P: There is supporting evidence for the role of the media in gender
E: Willams in 1985 conducted a longitudinal study which took advantage of the rare case of a community in a remote Canadian valley that had no television. It compared children’s stereotypes before and after TV was introduced and found that children’s views became significantly more sex-stereotyped after the TV arrived
L: this shows that exposure to the media can have significant effects on gender

Question 4

Name a fourth evaluation point

Answer 4

P:Evidence that the influence of the media is significant
E: Charlton 2000 looked at the effects of TV on a community that previously did not have it. They found that they had no changes in aggressive behaviour because of the values instilled in the children at a young age. Although this study concerned aggression it does suggest that simply exposing children stereotypes is not enough to change attitudes

Question 5

Name a final evaluation point

Answer 5

P: The media still holds influence in gender
E:Pingree found that pre-adolescent boys displayed stronger stereotypes after exposure to non-traditional models. It is possible that this could have occurred because at this age boys want to take a view that goes against the views held by parents
L: these findings highlight the difficulty of using the media to change cultural stereotypes