Unit 4 Topic 1

Question 1

What is socialisation?

What are primary and secondary socialisation?

Answer 1

process of how people learn beliefs, customs and appropriate behaviours of a society or group

Subset of the social learning theory and modelling.

Primary – through parents and close family members

Secondary – through teachers, extended family, friends, media.

Question 2

What is the difference between sex and gender?

Answer 2

Sex – determined through biological makeup (X and Y Chromosomes)

Gender – socially and culturally constructed idea of what male and female are (includes personality, social behaviours and physical appearance)

Question 3

What are gender roles?

Answer 3

Unwritten rules and expectations that state how each gender “should” behave

Often based on stereotypes and bias.

Question 4

Explain the evolutionary theory of gender roles and its limitations.

Answer 4

• explains gender roles through basis of natural selection
• theory requires assumption of past generally unobserved behaviour
• criticised because it does not state that differences were genetically determined.

Question 5

Explain the biological theory of gender role formation (generalised theory)

Also provide definitions for sex and intersex

Answer 5

• overarching theory that gender is determined by biological sex (genitals and reproductive organs)
• sex is determined by biological makeup (X and Y chromosomes)
• intersex is an individual who is born with both male and female, or ambiguous genitals and reproductive organs.
• theory assumes chromosomes lead to gender role behaviour.

Question 6

Explain the theory of psychosexual differentiation.

Answer 6

focuses on how testosterone affects the brain to determine masculinity.

Question 7

Explain the biosocial theory in gender roles.

Answer 7

• states that genders developed as a result of interaction between biological sex and socialisation
• offers understanding that traits of gender can be attributed to hormonal and chromosomal influence

Question 8

What is Kohlberg’s cognitive theory of gender?

Answer 8

Kohlberg’s cognitive theory of gender – gender is a type of cognitive development split into three stages.
1. gender identity (2-3 yrs old) - recognises and labels as boy or girl
2. gender stability (3-4) - realises sex will not change over time
3. gender constancy (age of 5) - realises sex is fixed state but appearance or behaviour changes do not make them automatically member of other sex.

Question 9

Explain the social learning theory of gender roles.

What are the two influences in learning for this.

Answer 9

• children learn from watching parents and people around them on how to behave.
• people are likely to pay attention to same sex as them.
• children learn vicariously

Vicarious Reward - observes behaviour being rewarded.
Vicarious Punishment - observes behaviour being punished

Question 10

What is the social influence theory?

Answer 10

Suggests that people are most likely to change attitudes, beliefs or behaviours because of:
- COMPLIANCE – changing publically to be likeable
- IDENTIFICATION – change because of others influence and relating to content of attitude
- INTERNALISATION – change because person has taken on new attitude and have this in belief system.

Question 11

What is defined as a group?

Answer 11

• consists of two or more people
• individuals in group must interact over period of time.
• must influence each other.
• must have common purpose.

Question 12

What is power in a group context?

Answer 12

person has power if they can influence thoughts or behaviours of others.

Question 13

What is status in a group context?

Answer 13

the position an individual holds within a group.

Question 14

What are the three styles of leadership?

Answer 14

Democratic – style where leader negotiates with group on decisions.

Authoritarian – leader actively makes all decisions and has control over group.

Laissez-faire – leader does not make any decisions, lets group control themselves.

Question 15

What is obedience?

Answer 15

an individual or group behaves in a certain way on orders or rules set down by a figure of authority.

Question 16

What is authority?

Answer 16

the power to order individuals to behave in certain manner.

Question 17

What is conformity?

Answer 17

behaviour, beliefs and actions that comply with a groups behaviour beliefs and actions.

Question 18

What are the key factors affecting conformity and a definition for each.

Answer 18

Normative influence - desire to fulfill others expectations and gain acceptance.

Culture

Informational Influence – conformity under acceptance of evidence about reality provided by others.

Group Size

Unanimity – agreement of all people (wanting to be with everyone for that)

Deindividuation – loss of self-awareness in groups leading to conformity to ideas.

Social loafing – exerting less effort to achieve goal in group rather than alone.

Question 19

What is the Gender Schema Theory?

Answer 19

Gender Schema Theory – theory that people build over time that provides information about how a male and female should behave.

• Gender Schema – mental representation of male and female based on stereotypes.
• Gender Scripts – gender roles and behaviours that children consider normal based on observations of everyday life.