influence of culture and media on gender roles

Question 1

what is cultural differences (nurture)

Answer 1

mead- cultural groups in papua new guinea
arapesh were gentle and responsive (similar to stereotype of femininity in industrialised societies)
mundugumor aggressive and hostile (similar to stereotype of masculinity in industrialised societies)
Tchambuli women dominant and organised village life men passive and considered to be decorative (reverse of stereotype in industrialised societies)
suggests may not be biological relationship between sex and gender and gender roles may be culturally determined
mead- underestimated universal nature of may gender typical behaviours, argued extent to which innate behaviours expressed largely the result of cultural norms

Question 2

what is cultural similarities (nature)

Answer 2

buss- consistent patterns in mate preference in 37 countries across all continents
in all cultures women sought men who could offer wealth and resources whilst men looked for youth and physical attractiveness in potential partner
munroe and munroe- most societies division of labour organised along gender lines (men breadwinners and women nurturers)

Question 3

what is media and gender roles

Answer 3

media provide role models with children may identify and want to imitate
likely to select role models who same gender as they are and who engage in stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour

Question 4

what is rigid stereotypes

Answer 4

evidence media provide clear gender stereotype that are rigid- men independent ambitious advice givers women depicted as dependent unambitious advice seekers
furnham and farragher- men more likely to be shown in autonomous roles within professional contexts whereas women were seen as occupying familial roles within domestic settings
media may play role in reinforcing widespread social stereotypes concerning gender appropriate roles

Question 5

what is self efficacy

Answer 5

media gives info to men and women in terms of the likely success of adopting behaviours
seeing other people perform gender appropriate behaviours increases child belief that they are capable of carrying out such behaviours ni the future
analysed attitudes of people in india who watched programme designed to challenge deep rooted gender stereotypes
prgramme was detective drama that ran for 78eps
girls who watched programme more liekly to see themselves as capable of working outside the home than non viewers
suggests self efficacy had changed as result of media influence

Question 6

what is research support (evaluation)

Answer 6

influence of culture on changing gender roles is supported by evidence
hofstede argues industrialised cultures changing status and expectations of women are function of their increasingly active role in workplace and away from domestic sphere
led to breakdown of traditional stereotypes in advanced industrialised socities
traditional societies women still occupy role of house maker as result of social cultural and religious pressures
suggests gender roles determined by cultural context

Question 7

what is meads research (evaluation)

Answer 7

meads cross cultural research been criticised
accused of making generalisation based on short period study
freeman- follow up study of same people
meads findings flawed as been misled by some of pps and that her preconceptions of what she wuld find had influenced her reading of events- observer bias and ethnocentrism
uggests meads interpretations may not have been objective and calls into question the conclusions she drew

Question 8

what is cultivation theory (evaluation)

Answer 8

theoretical basis
cultivation theory argues more time individuals spend living in media world more liekly they are to believe that this reflects social reality
bond and drogos- positive correlation between time spent watching reality tv jersey shore and permissive attitudes towards casual sex
effect was still found to be true when researchers controlled for influence of such factors as existing sexual attitudes parental attitudes and religious beliefs
suggests media cultivates perception of reality and this affects gender behaviour

Question 9

what is passive recipients (evaluation)

Answer 9

gender roles and media may not be causal relationship
durkin- even young children not passive and uncritical recipients of media messages
norms within childs family may be bigger determinant on childs gender attitudes and behaviour
if media representations confirm existing gender norms held by family then these are likely to be reinforced in childs mind, if not such representations are likely to be rejected
suggests media influences secondary to toher influences such as family