DEP3103-4

DEP3103

Test 4

Chapter 13

Gender

Gender- socially constructed idea and psychological in nature. Society determines how males and females should act.
Gender identity- how do you define yourself, as in how masculine or feminine you feel
Gender role- your public expression of your gender, a set of expectations for being male or female

Ex. From a tradition perspective, women are seen as taking care of the home.

Gender stereotypes- also a public expression of gender, overgeneralizations about the stereotype. These stereotypes typically set the expectations for gender roles.

Ex. saying all men are strong

Gender typing- when you apply gender to objects, personality traits, color, etc.

Ex. applying a sex to a vehicle. Dolls are for girls and trucks are for boys. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys.

Gender stereotypes:

Personality stereotypes:

Instrumental traits- associated with men, are about being independent, competent, rational, assertive, etc.
Expressive traits- associated with women, are nurturing, warm, caring, sensitive, etc.

Physical stereotypes:

Males- tall, strong, and sturdy
Females- soft, dainty, and petite

Occupation stereotypes:

Males- mechanic, construction worker, truck driver, firefighter, police officer
Females- nurse, teacher, stay-at-home mom, waitress, secretary, any helping job

Early childhood:

Age 2- start to understand who’s a girl and a boy
External characteristics and activities determine gender during this period.
Have rigid rules that they follow- can’t have long hair or wear a skirt and be a boy

Middle childhood and Adolescence:

There is a shift from external to internal. Now gender is associated also with how you act and not just how you look.
They become more flexible with their rules about gender- if you have long hair you can still be a boy, or if you are a woman and a truck driver
Achievement areas- boys are good at math and science; girls are good at reading and writing. Girls think that boys are smarter than them.
Gender violations during this period are going to be harsh, because you are expected to act like the stereotypes of your gender.

Sex differences:

Males and females are more alike than different.
Mental abilities:

Verbal abilities- Women are considered better in this area. Research finds that girls do have slightly better verbal abilities.
Mathematical abilities- Males are considered better at math. Research finds that early on, girls are better at math. When the math starts to become abstract, such as geometry, boys start to move ahead.

Personality traits:

Emotional sensitivity- stereotyped to women, mostly displayed as sadness or crying. Anger is an emotion too though, which we don’t take into consideration. Research finds that men and women respond similarly physiologically to a baby crying, but when they look at self-report, they do find differences.
Compliance and Dependency- how well you do what you are told and how much you need relationships. This is also stereotyped to women. Research finds that little girls are more compliant and dependent than little boys.
Aggression- Males are stereotyped as more aggressive than females.

Relational aggression- you manipulate relationships and find other ways to be aggressive rather than physical, such as spreading rumors.



	DEP3103 DEP3103 Test 4 Chapter 13 Gender Gender- socially constructed idea and psychological in nature. Society determines how males and females should act. Gender identity- how do you define yourself, as in how masculine or feminine you feel Gender role- your public expression of your gender, a set of expectations for being male or female Ex. From a tradition perspective, women are seen as taking care of the home. Gender stereotypes- also a public expression of gender, overgeneralizations about the stereotype. These stereotypes typically set the expectations for gender roles. Ex. saying all men are strong Gender typing- when you apply gender to objects, personality traits, color, etc. Ex. applying a sex to a vehicle. Dolls are for girls and trucks are for boys. Pink is for girls and blue is for boys. Gender stereotypes: Personality stereotypes: Instrumental traits- associated with men, are about being independent, competent, rational, assertive, etc. Expressive traits- associated with women, are nurturing, warm, caring, sensitive, etc. Physical stereotypes: Males- tall, strong, and sturdy Females- soft, dainty, and petite Occupation stereotypes: Males- mechanic, construction worker, truck driver, firefighter, police officer Females- nurse, teacher, stay-at-home mom, waitress, secretary, any helping job Early childhood: Age 2- start to understand who’s a girl and a boy External characteristics and activities determine gender during this period. Have rigid rules that they follow- can’t have long hair or wear a skirt and be a boy Middle childhood and Adolescence: There is a shift from external to internal. Now gender is associated also with how you act and not just how you look. They become more flexible with their rules about gender- if you have long hair you can still be a boy, or if you are a woman and a truck driver Achievement areas- boys are good at math and science; girls are good at reading and writing. Girls think that boys are smarter than them. Gender violations during this period are going to be harsh, because you are expected to act like the stereotypes of your gender. Sex differences: Males and females are more alike than different. Mental abilities: Verbal abilities- Women are considered better in this area. Research finds that girls do have slightly better verbal abilities. Mathematical abilities- Males are considered better at math. Research finds that early on, girls are better at math. When the math starts to become abstract, such as geometry, boys start to move ahead. Personality traits: Emotional sensitivity- stereotyped to women, mostly displayed as sadness or crying. Anger is an emotion too though, which we don’t take into consideration. Research finds that men and women respond similarly physiologically to a baby crying, but when they look at self-report, they do find differences. Compliance and Dependency- how well you do what you are told and how much you need relationships. This is also stereotyped to women. Research finds that little girls are more compliant and dependent than little boys. Aggression- Males are stereotyped as more aggressive than females. Relational aggression- you manipulate relationships and find other ways to be aggressive rather than physical, such as spreading rumors.