The Influence Of Culture And Media On Gender Roles

Question 1

How does culture and media in relation to gender roles contribute to the nature nurture debate?

Answer 1

• If a particular gender-roles behaviour appears to be consistent across different cultures, we might conclude that this represents an innate biological difference between makes and females, however, if they are culturally specific they might be due to socialisation

Question 2

What study suggests cultural differences are responsible for gender differences?

Answer 2

• Mead’s study of cultural groups in Papua New Guinea
• Arapesh were gentle and responsive (stereotypically feminine)
• Mundugumor were aggressive and hostile (stereotypically masculine)
• Tchambuli women were dominant and organised village life, men were passive and ‘decorative’ (reversal of stereotypes)
• may not be a biological link between sex and gender

Question 3

What study suggests gender roles are a consequence of biology?

Answer 3

• Buss found consistent patterns in mate preference in 37 countries across all continents
• in all cultures women sought out men that could offer wealth and resources whilst men looked for youth and physical attractiveness
• Also Munroe and Munroe revealed in most societies division of labour is organised along gender lines, (men as ‘breadwinners’ women as ‘nurtures’)

Question 4

How does the media contribute to gender roles?

Answer 4

• Media provided role models with whom children identify with and imitate
• children are likely to select role models who are same gender and engage in gender appropriate behaviour (more likely to be enforced)

Question 5

Who evidenced the idea that media provides rigid gender stereotypes?

Answer 5

• Bussey and Bandura suggested media presents men as independent/ambitious and women as dependant/unambitious
• Farnham and Farragher found men more likely to be shown in autonomous roles in professional contexts whereas women were in familial roles in domestic settings

Question 6

What did Bandura mean by ‘self-efficiency’?

Answer 6

• media gives info to men and women in terms of likely success of adopting these behaviours
• seeing other people perform gender appropriate behaviour increases a child’s belief that they are capable of carrying out such behaviours in the future (self-efficacy)
• Mitra analysed the attitudes of people in India who watched a programme designed to challenge deep rooted gender stereotypes. Girls watching the programme more likely to deem themselves capable of working outside the home than non-viewers
• self-efficacy changes as a result of media influences

Question 7

Why has Meads research been criticised?

Answer 7

• accused of making generalisations based on a short period of study. Freeman suggested Meads findings were flawed as she has mislead some of her pps and her preconceptions of what she would find had influenced her reading of events. (Observer bias and ethnocentrism)

Question 8

What is the strength for Mead?

Answer 8

• Do Mead as a strength ‘research support’ and the limitation as a counterpoint.

Question 9

What is Cultivation Theory?

Answer 9

• cultivation theory argues more time individuals spend consuming media the more they believe this reflects social reality
• Bond and Drogos found a positive correlation between watching ‘Jersey Shore’ and permissive attitudes towards casual sex

Question 10

What other influences may influence gender identity?

Answer 10

• Durkin argues very young children are not passive recipients of media messages and norms within the child’s family may be the bigger determinant on gender attitudes and behaviours
• if media representations conform existing gender norms held by the family these will be reinforced in the child’s mind. If not they will be rejected
• Media is a secondary influence