Gender Gender Development Development

ConceptsConceptsPSYB1PSYB1

ActivityActivity

In pairs try to list as In pairs try to list as many many

Biological/Biological/behavioural behavioural

differences you differences you can think of can think of

between males between males and females…and females…

Why study gender?Why study gender?

Identify Identify Understand their personalityUnderstand their personality Biology vs environmental causes?Biology vs environmental causes?

General concepts you should General concepts you should understandunderstand

SexSex GenderGender AndrogynyAndrogyny Sex role StereotypesSex role Stereotypes Cultural diversityCultural diversity Nature NurtureNature Nurture

SEXSEXThe term sex refers to biological The term sex refers to biological

status as either male or female status as either male or female and can be defined by our and can be defined by our

chromosomes, hormones and chromosomes, hormones and anatomical differences.anatomical differences.

GENDERGENDERIs psychosocial and refers to Is psychosocial and refers to

notions about the expected notions about the expected roles, behaviours and attitudes roles, behaviours and attitudes

of males and females within of males and females within society.society.

Social constructionSocial construction

The concept of gender has been The concept of gender has been investigated by our society and so investigated by our society and so can change over time and vary from can change over time and vary from culture to culture.culture to culture.

ThinkThink

What does it mean to be masculine?What does it mean to be masculine?

What does it mean to be feminine?What does it mean to be feminine?

Can you think of the advantages of Can you think of the advantages of adopting these adjectives?adopting these adjectives?

AndrogynyAndrogyny Androgynous people are people whose Androgynous people are people whose

personality encompasses both masculine personality encompasses both masculine and feminine characteristicsand feminine characteristics. .

Sandra Bem (1974)Sandra Bem (1974) developed the developed the BSRI BSRI (Bem Sex Role Inventory)(Bem Sex Role Inventory) which which measures an individuals androgynymeasures an individuals androgyny. .

Bem’s scale found that people with high Bem’s scale found that people with high androgyny scores are psychologically androgyny scores are psychologically more healthy than people who show only more healthy than people who show only masculine or feminine traits. masculine or feminine traits.

Read the handout Read the handout

Look at the evaluations - evaluations Look at the evaluations - evaluations are really important in psychology. are really important in psychology. They are your AO2 marks!!!They are your AO2 marks!!!

Summarise into 4 key words then Summarise into 4 key words then explain to me without your notesexplain to me without your notes

Sex-role or gender Sex-role or gender stereotypesstereotypes

A stereotype is a belief you have A stereotype is a belief you have developed over time about developed over time about someone’s behaviour, attitude or someone’s behaviour, attitude or characteristicscharacteristics

We have over time developed a We have over time developed a stereotype for people as what they stereotype for people as what they should do to be male or female.should do to be male or female.

Baby JackBaby Jack

What type of outfit would What type of outfit would you chose for Jack?you chose for Jack?

What toy would you buy What toy would you buy him?him?

What story could you What story could you read to him at bed time?read to him at bed time?

What colour would you What colour would you paint his bedroom?paint his bedroom?

Adult gender stereotypes Adult gender stereotypes about infantsabout infants

Many baby X studies have been performed where an Many baby X studies have been performed where an adult is misled about the babies gender and their adult is misled about the babies gender and their behaviour is observed to look for gender expectations.behaviour is observed to look for gender expectations.

Obviously how the baby is labelled affects how the Obviously how the baby is labelled affects how the adult treats the baby.adult treats the baby.

See Seavey et al (1975) AIM, METHOD, See Seavey et al (1975) AIM, METHOD, RESULTS, CONCLUSION – summarise into 4 key RESULTS, CONCLUSION – summarise into 4 key wordswords

What positive implications do you think knowing this What positive implications do you think knowing this information can have on a child’s development?information can have on a child’s development?

Can you think of any criticisms for this study?Can you think of any criticisms for this study?

For example – positiveFor example – positive

A parent should try not to treat their child A parent should try not to treat their child in such a masculine or feminine way in such a masculine or feminine way because Sandra Bem says that people because Sandra Bem says that people with androgynous personalities are those with androgynous personalities are those people who ate more psychologically people who ate more psychologically healthy.healthy.

Negative – Would the results be different Negative – Would the results be different if a different colour of clothing was used if a different colour of clothing was used etc…etc…

Children’s gender Children’s gender stereotypesstereotypes

Golombok and Fivush (1994) believe that Golombok and Fivush (1994) believe that children develop very fixed gender children develop very fixed gender stereotypes between 3 & 5yrs of age.stereotypes between 3 & 5yrs of age.

Read the study by Urberg (1982) and make Read the study by Urberg (1982) and make notes – what does it prove about children’s notes – what does it prove about children’s stereotypes? Summarise into 4 key wordsstereotypes? Summarise into 4 key words

However, note…the older children get they However, note…the older children get they become less likely to use only gender to become less likely to use only gender to predict behaviour but will use other predict behaviour but will use other information as well. information as well.

Gender stereotypes in Gender stereotypes in the mediathe media

How the sexes were represented in children’s How the sexes were represented in children’s books has changed enormously over the books has changed enormously over the years. years.

Has this stereotyped message changed today? Has this stereotyped message changed today? Read DeLoache et al (1987) to see- Read DeLoache et al (1987) to see- summarise into 4 key wordssummarise into 4 key words

On TV Davis showed how females on TV are On TV Davis showed how females on TV are outnumbered by men 2:1, younger than males outnumbered by men 2:1, younger than males and 4 times more likely to be dressed and 4 times more likely to be dressed provocatively.provocatively.

Exam questionsExam questionsDescribe one study which investigated adult gender Describe one study which investigated adult gender

stereotypes. What did they find. Remember to include the stereotypes. What did they find. Remember to include the aim, method, results and conclusion. aim, method, results and conclusion. (5 marks)(5 marks)

Now make up your own question where the marks would be Now make up your own question where the marks would be worth worth (3 marks)(3 marks) for that same topic… for that same topic…

Describe one study which investigated gender stereotypes. Describe one study which investigated gender stereotypes. What did they find. Remember to include the aim, method, What did they find. Remember to include the aim, method, results and conclusion. results and conclusion. (5 marks)(5 marks)

Now make up your own question where the marks would be Now make up your own question where the marks would be worth for that same topic…worth for that same topic…

Androgyny is a term used to describe a person who displays both Androgyny is a term used to describe a person who displays both feminine and masculine traits. Suggest how a psychologist might feminine and masculine traits. Suggest how a psychologist might measure androgyny (2mks)measure androgyny (2mks)

Cultural diversity in Cultural diversity in gendered behaviourgendered behaviour

One of the most well known One of the most well known studies of cultural studies of cultural differences in gender differences in gender related behaviour was related behaviour was carried out by the carried out by the anthropologist Margaret anthropologist Margaret Mead (1935)Mead (1935)

Read the study and discuss Read the study and discuss the evaluations – summarise the evaluations – summarise into bullet points then into into bullet points then into key words….key words….

More evaluationsMore evaluations Meads methods have been challenged as Meads methods have been challenged as

unscientificunscientific Even before she made her observations she was Even before she made her observations she was

always of the opinion that the environment was always of the opinion that the environment was responsible for shaping behaviour. This may responsible for shaping behaviour. This may have led to researcher bias in her observationshave led to researcher bias in her observations

Errington and Gewertz (1989) revisited the Errington and Gewertz (1989) revisited the Tchambuli and carried out an analysis of Mead’s Tchambuli and carried out an analysis of Mead’s original records. They concluded that the original records. They concluded that the women did not dominate the men or vice versa.women did not dominate the men or vice versa.

Some years later Mead significantly changed Some years later Mead significantly changed her views about cultural influences, stating that her views about cultural influences, stating that women were naturally better at childcare than women were naturally better at childcare than men.men.

Cultural diversity Cultural diversity See study by La Framboise et al (1990)See study by La Framboise et al (1990) Perhaps Mead exaggerated these cultural Perhaps Mead exaggerated these cultural

differences. Wade & Tavris (1998) that in differences. Wade & Tavris (1998) that in most cultures men have the status and most cultures men have the status and engage in more warfare and women deal engage in more warfare and women deal with children and housekeeping.with children and housekeeping.

Status – women have highest status in Status – women have highest status in Scandinavian cultures – lowest in BangladeshScandinavian cultures – lowest in Bangladesh

In western cultures women hold many male In western cultures women hold many male orientated jobs such as medicine and orientated jobs such as medicine and dentistrydentistry

Nature & Nurture Nature & Nurture This is a debate concerning the extent to This is a debate concerning the extent to

which our behaviour is governed by the which our behaviour is governed by the forces of biology or the environment.forces of biology or the environment.

An extreme nature view would argue gender An extreme nature view would argue gender is totally a result of genes and hormones so is totally a result of genes and hormones so women are programmed o be nurturers and women are programmed o be nurturers and men protectorsmen protectors

An extreme nurture view would explain An extreme nurture view would explain gender related behaviour as a result of social gender related behaviour as a result of social and cultural factors in the environment.and cultural factors in the environment.

What do you think?What do you think?

RecapRecap

List as many key concepts and List as many key concepts and researcher names and dates as you researcher names and dates as you can…..can…..