Gender and cultural characteristics Flashcards
What do sociologists use the term âsexâ for?
To classify people as male or female based on biology and physical characteristics they are born with
Gender
A sociological concept that refers to the cultural expectations about how males and females should behave in society. It is socially constructed meaning behaviour is shaped by the social world we live in
What type of society is the UK?
Patriarchal
What exists alongside a patriarchal society in the UK?
a hegemonic ideology
Hegemonic ideology in the UK about gender roles?
How males and females should behave with regard to every day behaviour
Wilson (1975 Biological view)?
Argues gender roles are biologically determined and are fixed and unchangeable, genes and hormones control behaviour, temperament and abilities of men and women.
What is the functionalist view on gender identities?
Identity development is affected by the needs of the state. Our identity is affected by the value consensus that most people share within their culture that bonds us together. We internalise what society says is important and make it part of us
What did parsons argue about gender identities?
in the nuclear family males adopt the âinstrumental roleâ whereby they perform tasks such as earning money and being the main breadwinner. Females on the other hand adopt a more, âexpressive roleâ whereby they are concerned with nurturing, affection and emotion such as looking after children.
How do functionalists view gender roles?
as natural, inevitable and functional and if males and females follow their set roles then society will function effectively
What is gender identity the product of?
the product of gender roles socialisation
What do the family contribute to gender roles?
the main or primary agent in socialising children into gender roles. Once a childâs sex has been identified they are subjected to gender stereotyping. Parents begin gender appropriate from the moment the baby is born.
What did Ann Oakley argue?
gender role socialisation in the family happens in four ways
What are the four ways gender role socialisation happens in the family?
Manipulation, Canalisation, Verbal appellation, Different activities
How are people manipulated into gender roles through the family?
through the family encouraging gender stereotypical behaviour such as boys getting muddy and congratulating them for being âadventurousâ and girls playing with dolls and congratulating them on being âgood and quietâ
How are people canalised into gender roles by the family?
through parents channelling their childâs interests in gender specific toys
How are people verbally appealed to gender roles in the family?
by family members giving children pet names based on their gender e.g. a boy called âlittle monsterâ and girls called little angelsâ
How are people socialised into gender roles by the family through different activities
reinforcing children to participate in activities in around the home such as a boy helping his dad clean the car and a girl helping her mum do the baking
Woods (2002)
observation of parents suggests that fathers demonstrate a more rigid set of gender expectations than mothers.
What did Woods (2002) find to suggest fathers demonstrate a more rigid set of gender expectations?
Fathers were more likely to use physical smacking and harsh verbal rebukes on their infant sons than daughters with whom they were more softer with as they felt that their daughters would be more sensitive to criticism and discipline. Fathers also held their daughters more than their sons.
Miller and church (2002)
Education - Gender identity, argue that some teachers reinforce gender stereotypes within the classroom (teachers expect boys to be noisier than girls and are more likely to punish a noisy girl) . This is supported by Skelton and Francisâs (2003) research
Skelton and Francis (2003)
Education - Gender identity, boys tend to dominate spaces at school, for example, the playground and the classroom whereas girls huddle together and donât take up lots of space especially in the playground. supports Miller and Church (2002) research
Frosh et al (2001)
Male behaviour at school can be divided into two broad types
What are the two types of male behaviour that Frosh et al (2001) found
1) Some boys are academic and value both positive relationships with their teachers and working hard to achieve academic success
2) Other boys that subscribe to hegemonic masculine norms and values such as being tough and confrontational, tend to reject academic success as feminine.
What do the second type of boys believe in Frosh et al (2001)âs findings
These boys belive that status and respect are obtained by engaging in laddish anti-school activates such as disrupting lessons or even truanting.
Fuller (1984)
notes that female behaviour is divided into two main factors - social class and ethnicity.
Johnson (2002)
how gender identity is reinforced though TV advertising. She found that adverts focussed on how boys were being portrayed though traits such as action, competition, destruction and control while females were portrayed as attractive, emotional and nurturing.
Kehily on new masculinities
- Argues that the masculine role of men has also radically changed as the economic situation has changed.
- 30 years ago, masculinity was expressed through hard work such as manual work and being a breadwinner.
- However, the decline of Britainâs manufacturing base has led to widespread unemployment among males which means that men cannot automatically now be breadwinners.
Mac and Ghaill (1994)
argue that the changed role of men has led to a âcrisis of masculinityâ - men today no longer know what is expected of them. This has led to two broad effects
What are the two broad effects that Mac and Ghaill discuss
Social problems such as suicide, mental illness, crime and domestic violence as men struggle to make sense of their masculine identity today and try to assert this through traditional ways
OR
Some men attempt to redefine masculinity either by paying attention to their bodies through exercise, toiletries, cosmetics or by increasing their domestic role such as spending more quality time with the children, sharing in childcare and even becoming full-time house husbands.
New femininities
It is argued that young women today have been freed from the patriarchal past in two main ways
What are the two ways in which young women have been freed from the patriarchal past?
1) Changes in the economy have led to the feminisation of labour and the subsequent emergence of womenâs modern status as capable, successful and professional. They no longer are expected to be mothers and housewives.
2) It is suggested that the economic independence of young women today means that they are more likely to make the most of the choices open to them in terms of consumption.
Wilkinson (1984)
suggests that females today have experienced âgenderquakeâ in attitude and aspiration compared with their mothers and grandmothers. Young women today are keen on acquiring educational qualifications that open doors to professional careers and allows them to earn and choose their own path.
