Influence of Culture Flashcards
What does culture refer to?
The values, customs, shared traditions and practices of a particular group of people
What is suggested about gender roles?
- If gender roles are similar across all cultures it is due to biological, innate influences
- If their are cross cultural differences, this would support the time do the environment in shaping gender
What did Mead do?
Studied gender behaviour in tribes in Papua New Guinea, finding some gender differences between them
What did Mead find?
- Arapesh males and females were gentle and responsive (feminine)
- Mundungumor makes and females were more hostile and agressive
- Tchambuli women were dominant, whilst men were more passive
What does this suggest?
Gender is shaped by culture and upbringing
What did Mead later suggest?
She may have overestimated the differences in behaviour suggesting there were still some gender similarities but these are affected by cultural norms
What did Leung and Moore do?
Compared Australians of English and Chinese origin using BSRI
What did Leung and Moore find?
Male and female English Australians showed masculine traits which are valued in individualistic cultures, and male and female Chinese Australians showed feminine traits that are valued in a collectivist culture
What is gender like in the Navajo tribe?
A third gender is identified
What are Berdache?
Males that choose not to follow the ideal role of warrior but will become ‘wife’ of a warrior
What are the 4 gender categories of The Mohave Tribe?
- Traditional male
- Traditional female
- Alyha: man who lives as a woman
- Hwame: woman who lives as a man
What are 3 evaluation points?
- Determinism and relativism
- Criticisms of cultural research
- Lacks temporal validity
