Gender- Sex role stereotypes and atypical chromosome patterns

Question 1

What is a sex role stereotype ?

Answer 1

A set of shared expectations that people within a society hold about what is acceptable or usual behaviour for each sex

Question 2

Who conducted research into sex role stereotypes ?

Answer 2

Smith and Lloyd

Question 3

What was smith and lloyds method and findings ?

Answer 3

• They videotaped women playing with a 4 month old baby
• The babies were dressed as with boys or girls (opposite gender clothes)
• They found each women’s choice of toys varied with the perceived gender of the infant
• Suggests that infants are treated differently, according to sex role stereotypes from a very early age

Question 4

What is androgyny ?

Answer 4

The co-existance of male and female characteristics within the same individual

Question 5

What is the bem sex-role inventory ?

Answer 5

A scale developed to test masculinity and feminine values. You have to rate yourself from 1-7 on a list of values

Question 6

Give a strength of Bems sex role inventory

Answer 6

• Has face validity
• High retest reliability

Question 7

Give a weakness of Bems sex role inventory

Answer 7

• Low temporal validity as it was developed in the 70s and views on masculine and feminine traits are likely to have changed since then

Question 8

What is the biological explanation for gender ?

Answer 8

Argues that men and women are ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ due to their biology

Question 9

What hormones are associated with more masculine and feminine traits ?

Answer 9

Feminine - Oestrogen
Masculine - Testosterone

Question 10

What is the role of oxytocin ?

Answer 10

It is a hormone produced during contractions. It causes contractions of the uterus and stimulates lactation