2. Definitions
Sex = biological identity
Gender = social and cultural identity as
male/female
Gender-role standard = a behavior, value,
or motive that society deems more
appropriate for males/females
3. SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES
Actual Psychological Differences Between
the Sexes
– Verbal Ability – girls are superior
– Visual/Spatial Abilities – boys are superior
Evident by 4, persists across life span
– Mathematical Abilities
In adolescence, boys better at arithmetic reasoning
Girls better at computational skills
4. SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES
– Aggression
Boys physically and verbally
Girls covert
5. SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES
– Other Sex Differences
Activity level – boys are more physically
active (even before birth)
Fear, timidity, and risk-taking – girls are
more fearful, timid, and take fewer risks
– No difference in cognitive impulsivity
Developmental vulnerability – boys are
more vulnerable to prenatal and perinatal
hazards and disease
6. SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES
Conclusions
– Differences reflect group averages
– Differences are small
– Differences are most apparent at
the extremes
– Males and females are much more
psychologically similar than they
are different
7. SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS
ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES
Emotional expressivity / sensitivity
– Beginning in toddlerhood
Boys anger
Girls other emotions
Compliance – girls are more
compliant
8. Gender Differences in Social
Behavior
Gender segregation
Play styles
Social Influence Styles
– Charlesworth
– 4 children, playing with movie viewer
designed so only one child could watch at a
time
9. Gender Differences in Social
Behavior
Forms of Verbal Influence
Social Interaction
– Jacklin & Maccoby
– Pairs of neutrally dressed, unacquainted 33
m/o brought to playroom
Group Structure
10. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Evolutionary Theory
– Males and females face different
evolutionary pressures
11. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
– Criticisms of the Evolutionary Approach
Applies to differences that apply
cross-culturally
Ignores differences limited to cultures
or historical periods
Social roles hypothesis
– Cultures assign roles based on gender
– Socialization practices
12.
13. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Evidence for Social-Labeling Influences
– Cultural influences
Mead’s study of tribal societies
– Arapesh – both males and females were
taught to be expressive
– Mundugumor – both genders were
taught to be “masculine”
– Tchambuli – from Western standards,
males more feminine, females more
masculine
14. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Evidence for Social-Labeling Influences
– Condry & Condry
Saw film of 9 m/o presented with jack-inthe-box
Half told male, half told female
“boy” was described as angry
“girl” was described as afraid
15. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
A psychobiosocial viewpoint
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory
Social Learning Theory
– Direct tuition/reinforcement
– Observational learning
16. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Kohlberg’s Cognitive-Developmental
Theory
–
–
–
Basic gender identity
Gender stability
Gender consistency
Gender Schema Theory (Martin &
Halverson)
17.
18. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Martin & Halverson
– Show 5-6 y/o pictures:
Boy engaging in traditional masculine activity
Girl engaging in traditional masculine activity
Boy engaging in traditional feminine activity
Girl engaging in traditional feminine activity
– One week later, show pictures…
19. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
Martin
–
–
–
4-10 y/o told story
Character in story was either a boy or girl
Description was neutral, stereotyped, or
counterstereotyped
20. THEORIES OF GENDER-TYPING
AND GENDER ROLE
DEVELOPMENT
An Integrative Theory
– Biological theories account for major
biological developments
– Social-theories account for differential
reinforcement processes
– Cognitive development explains the growth of
categorization skills
– Gender schemas are also important as are
models as children age
21. Androgyny – Bem
Historically, masculinity and femininity
were at opposite ends of a single
dimension
Androgyny – sees them as 2 separate
dimensions, allowing individuals to be high
in both masculine and feminine traits
22.
23. Scoring for BEM
Use the scoring guide to tally up scores for
a and b answers
A answers: tally scores, divide by 20 (as
long as you didn’t omit any “a” answers),
place number in the box at the bottom of
your sheet labeled R.S. and a.
B answers: tally scores, divide by 20 (as
long as you didn’t omit any “b” answers),
place number in box labeled R.S. and b.
24. Do Androgynous People Really Exist?
– In a college student sample
33% were masculine men or feminine
women
30% were androgynous
37% undifferentiated or gender-type
reversed
25. Are There Advantages to Being
Androgynous?
–
–
–
–
More highly adaptable to the situation
Higher self-esteem
More likeable
Perceived as better adjusted
The masculine traits are more important for
adjustment
– Advantages may differ across lifespan