Gender - culture and media

Question 1

what is media

Answer 1

communication channels like TV, film, books, etc. that make news, entertainment, education and data available

Question 2

how does the media shape gender

Answer 2

provides role models who people may identify with and want to imitate

Question 3

how is the media damaging to our views of gender

Answer 3

can reinforce rigid stereotypes

Question 4

what is the bechdel test

Answer 4

if two women in a piece of media can have a conversation about a topic that isn’t a man

Question 5

Furnham and Farragher (2000)

Answer 5

men are usually in power positions in advertising and women are usually in domestic roles. voiceovers of adverts are also usually male and so suggests that males are seen to speak w more authority

Question 6

McGhee and Frueh (1980)

Answer 6

people who watch a lot of TV are more likely to display gender-stereotypical views and behaviour

Question 7

how does media contribute to motivation and self-efficacy in gender development (SLT)

Answer 7

• gives information about likely success of adopting these behaviours
• seeing others carry out behaviours increases child’s belief that they can carry out the behaviour

Question 8

Pingree (1978)

Answer 8

gender stereotyping reduced when children shown TV adverts featuring women in non-stereotypical roles

Question 9

strengths of the influence of media on gender development

Answer 9

+ media can be used to promote non-traditional gender roles
+ supports SLT explanation of gender
+ research support
- correlation not causation: does media shape society or mirror it?
- impossible to create control groups that are not exposed to media

Question 10

how does Lewis et al’s recent research (2021) show gender bias in the media

Answer 10

showed most children’s books are still androcentric, with male activities seen as norm/neutral. beta bias. girls books are more specifically for girls

Question 11

what is culture

Answer 11

the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular group of people or society

Question 12

what would universal features in cross-cultural research of gender suggest

Answer 12

gender has an innate basis and would support the nature view

Question 13

what would culturally specific features in cross-cultural research of gender suggest

Answer 13

gender is learned and supports the nurture view

Question 14

interactionist approach to gender

Answer 14

gender differences are caused by innate tendencies that are modified by environmental factors

Question 15

Margaret Mead (1935) ethnographic study

Answer 15

lived with various tribes in New Guinea for six months

Question 16

Mead’s findings

Answer 16

In one tribe, both men and women were feminine -> expressive, caring, co-operative.
In another tribe, both sexes were masculine -> assertive, arrogant and fierce.
In another tribe, females were independent and took care of tribe. Men sat around gossiping.

Question 17

Mead’s conclusions

Answer 17

• no direct link between sex and gender -> gender roles depend on culture
• extent to which innate behaviours are expressed are the result of cultural norms

Question 18

Malinowski (1929)

Answer 18

studied Trobriand islanders

Question 19

Malinowski findings

Answer 19

• Trobriand women = highly sexually aggressive. rape men and boast about this to enhance reputation
• oedipus complex is not universal -> lack of relationship with biological paternity figure. envy uncle as want power rather than sexual envy

Question 20

David Buss (1995)

Answer 20

studied 37 countries. pts rated importance of characteristics of potential mate. males rate good loooks and youth as important. women look for financial prospects. (universal features)

Question 21

strengths of culture’s influence on gender development

Answer 21

+ shows how globalisation may be contributing to reduction in gender differences. implying that cultural influences are stronger than biological ones
+ case studies contributed to scientific study of sex and gender
+ Buss had a large sample size making it more generalisable and representative of the population

Question 22

limitations of culture’s influence on gender development

Answer 22

• researcher bias
• imposed etic
• Malinowski racist views
• Malinowski’s data was reanalysed and found strong presence of oedipus complex
• lacks temporal validity
• language barrier
• subjectivity is lost due to being too involved in study