CHAPTER 4 -CHAPTER 4 -GENDER ROLES GENDER ROLES

Instructor: Wendy CrapoInstructor: Wendy Crapo

Used by permission ofTHE ACADEMY OF NURSING2355 E. 3900 S. S.L.C., UT 84124801-506-0064

HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE DIFFERENTDIFFERENT

• Women generally live longer.Women generally live longer.• Women have lower basic metabolism.Women have lower basic metabolism.• Women have shorter head, broader face, Women have shorter head, broader face,

less protruding chin, shorter legs and less protruding chin, shorter legs and longer trunk.longer trunk.

• Men’s teeth generally last longer.Men’s teeth generally last longer.• Women have larger stomachs, kidneys and Women have larger stomachs, kidneys and

livers but smaller lungs.livers but smaller lungs.• Women’s thyroids are larger and more Women’s thyroids are larger and more

active.active.

HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT continuedDIFFERENT continued

• Women’s blood contains more water and Women’s blood contains more water and 20% fewer red cells thus more prone to 20% fewer red cells thus more prone to faint.faint.

• Men are 50% stronger than women.Men are 50% stronger than women.• A woman’s heart beats more rapidly. (80 A woman’s heart beats more rapidly. (80

beats/minute compared to 72 for men)beats/minute compared to 72 for men)• Woman’s blood pressure is generally 10 Woman’s blood pressure is generally 10

points lower.points lower.• Women tolerate higher temperatures better Women tolerate higher temperatures better

than lower temperatures – men are the than lower temperatures – men are the opposite.opposite.

WOMEN HAVE EVOLVEDWOMEN HAVE EVOLVED

• Able to vote nowAble to vote now• Can run for political officeCan run for political office• Many more are working and having Many more are working and having

careerscareers• Sexual harassment is against the law Sexual harassment is against the law

(1976)(1976)• Marital rape against the law in most Marital rape against the law in most

statesstates• AbortionAbortion

UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTANDING ROLESROLES

• How are genders opposite or How are genders opposite or similar? similar?

• Hormones different (female = Hormones different (female = estrogen, male = androgens)estrogen, male = androgens)

• Are we more alike than different?Are we more alike than different?• Can either gender fill roles?Can either gender fill roles?

They are only used to limit our development into complete human beings.

WHAT IF YOU WERE THE WHAT IF YOU WERE THE OPPOSITE SEX?OPPOSITE SEX?

• Different career choice?Different career choice?• Appearance?Appearance?• Aggression?Aggression?• Peer relations and activities?Peer relations and activities?• Personal Behavior?Personal Behavior?• Self concept?Self concept?• Freedom & restrictions?Freedom & restrictions?• Home life?Home life?• School life?School life?• Value judgmentsValue judgments

• GENDER SCHEMA:GENDER SCHEMA: exaggerated exaggerated differences, acquired early in childhood. differences, acquired early in childhood. The earlier learned the more influential The earlier learned the more influential & stereotypical. & stereotypical.

• BIPOLAR MODEL: Explains differencesBIPOLAR MODEL: Explains differences• GENDER ROLE ATTACHMENT: Beliefs GENDER ROLE ATTACHMENT: Beliefs

of what is appropriate behavior for of what is appropriate behavior for gender. Boys model Dads.gender. Boys model Dads.

• GENDER ROLE IDENTITY: Learned GENDER ROLE IDENTITY: Learned young and is deepest concept we hold of young and is deepest concept we hold of self.self. How do you feel when you can't tell if a person is male or female?How do you feel when you can't tell if a person is male or female?

GENDER VOCABULARYGENDER VOCABULARY

THEORIESTHEORIESGENDER THEORY: Gender is what GENDER THEORY: Gender is what

we “do”. The idea of “opposites” we “do”. The idea of “opposites” suppresses and constrains suppresses and constrains behavior. Denies us behavior. Denies us opportunities.opportunities.

1. What creates masculinity/femininity? Page 110 read: study = 1. What creates masculinity/femininity? Page 110 read: study = culture. Some societies studied where women are like men. culture. Some societies studied where women are like men.

2. What created male dominance in society? Society, 2. What created male dominance in society? Society, religion, government, or family.religion, government, or family.

•When you have a When you have a circle and divide it circle and divide it you have two you have two separate entities. separate entities. You begin to You begin to compare and compare and contrast.contrast.

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY:SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY: We We learn attitudes and behaviors by learn attitudes and behaviors by interactions. Consequences control interactions. Consequences control behavior. But punishment is not a part behavior. But punishment is not a part of this theory compared to of this theory compared to behaviorists.behaviorists.

BEHAVIORIST THEORY SUBSETBEHAVIORIST THEORY SUBSET• We treat girls and boy different and We treat girls and boy different and

reinforce different things.reinforce different things.• Parents don't usually acknowledge that Parents don't usually acknowledge that

they treat boys/girls differently.they treat boys/girls differently.Show video clip of how people treat same baby.Show video clip of how people treat same baby.

Theories continuedTheories continued

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY:THEORY: Active interpretation of Active interpretation of messages received from the messages received from the environment.environment. Stresses age in learning.Stresses age in learning.

• Kohlberg research found that up to 6-7 years it Kohlberg research found that up to 6-7 years it is superficial and children determine sex by is superficial and children determine sex by external appearances (clothing, hair). external appearances (clothing, hair).

• One wants congruence and therefore we act One wants congruence and therefore we act appropriately to our gender.appropriately to our gender.

• Primary motive is internal – independently Primary motive is internal – independently strive to fulfill role.strive to fulfill role.

Theories Theories continuedcontinued

LEARNING GENDER LEARNING GENDER ROLESROLES

1. Manipulation1. Manipulation2. Channeling toys2. Channeling toys3. Verbal appellations3. Verbal appellations4. Activity exposure4. Activity exposure• Girls encouraged to Girls encouraged to

be like Mom be like Mom “Mother's little “Mother's little helper”.helper”.

• Teens treated Teens treated different. Sons different. Sons achievements are achievements are more important.more important.

Learning Gender RolesLearning Gender Roles(continued)(continued)

• TEACHERS - usually women. TEACHERS - usually women.

1.1.Give more attention to boys.Give more attention to boys.

2.2.More patient with boysMore patient with boys

3.3.Girls praised more for Girls praised more for neatness of work than neatness of work than accuracy.accuracy.

• Girls excel until teens - WHY? Girls excel until teens - WHY? Girls devalued, boys valued.Girls devalued, boys valued.

• 9-15 years old - drastic drop in 9-15 years old - drastic drop in self esteem.self esteem.

• Only at all girl schools do girls Only at all girl schools do girls assert themselves in school.assert themselves in school.

• Both suffer in school and would Both suffer in school and would benefit from more gender equity.benefit from more gender equity.

Learning Gender RolesLearning Gender Roles(continued)(continued)

• PEERS:PEERS:- Influenced by approval and Influenced by approval and

acceptanceacceptance- Model after peersModel after peers- Seek intimacy of peersSeek intimacy of peers

• PARENTS - most influential when PARENTS - most influential when children. They deny they treat children. They deny they treat both differently but they do.both differently but they do.

Learning Gender Learning Gender RolesRoles

ADULTS ADULTS •CollegeCollege - open new - open new alternatives to alternatives to gender roles.gender roles.

•MarriageMarriage - create roles. Men - create roles. Men more more traditional & gain traditional & gain more by more by believing women believing women are naturally are naturally better.better.

•ParentingParenting - roles are painfully unclear. - roles are painfully unclear.•Work Work - women downplayed, more pressure, - women downplayed, more pressure, less achievement.less achievement.•Media Media - women absent in video games, MTV - women absent in video games, MTV has women as has women as erotic backdrops, video & TV erotic backdrops, video & TV condescending and condescending and provocative, under age provocative, under age 40 and attractive.40 and attractive.

From 7-12 grade listen to 10,500 hour From 7-12 grade listen to 10,500 hour music.music.

IMMIGRANT GENDER IMMIGRANT GENDER ROLESROLES

• Children increase gender role stress.Children increase gender role stress.• Men’s greatest stress is the work role.Men’s greatest stress is the work role.• Women’s greatest stress is the family role.Women’s greatest stress is the family role.• Working class differentiates the roles Working class differentiates the roles

more.more.• First generation Latinos more reluctant to First generation Latinos more reluctant to

work outside home.work outside home.• African American men most supportive of African American men most supportive of

working women.working women.

TRADITIONAL TRADITIONAL MALE ROLEMALE ROLE

• TRANSITIONS: men unsure of meaning TRANSITIONS: men unsure of meaning of masculinity.of masculinity.

• Good husband = good provider but wife Good husband = good provider but wife wants closeness.wants closeness.

• If wife works = guilt & conflict.If wife works = guilt & conflict.• Marriage = sharing and fairness but Marriage = sharing and fairness but

often husband is senior partner.often husband is senior partner.• African Americans already equalitarian.African Americans already equalitarian.

What was the traditional role of a man.

Male Roles in TransitionMale Roles in Transition

CONSTRAINTS:CONSTRAINTS: Men don't usually have the Men don't usually have the option not to work.option not to work.

• Men less emotionally expressive but Men less emotionally expressive but negative attitude if emotional (different negative attitude if emotional (different for women).for women).

• Difficulty expressing feelingsDifficulty expressing feelings• Unsatisfactory relationships with childrenUnsatisfactory relationships with children• Lower life expectancy, heart disease, Lower life expectancy, heart disease,

hypertensionhypertension

TRADITIONAL FEMALE TRADITIONAL FEMALE ROLEROLE

• Women were seen Women were seen as less competent.as less competent.

• Women less happy Women less happy in marriage (singles in marriage (singles happier).happier).– Due to fatigue, Due to fatigue,

stress and lack of stress and lack of leisure.leisure.

• Women get old, men Women get old, men get distinguished.get distinguished.

CONTEMPORY GENDER CONTEMPORY GENDER ROLESROLES

• Expansion of man’s family roleExpansion of man’s family role• Work and professional roles for Work and professional roles for

womenwomen• Breakdown of male instrumentality Breakdown of male instrumentality

and female expressiveness.and female expressiveness.Is it possible that the new contemporary gender role is still limiting our potential? If so how?

ANDROGYNOUANDROGYNOUS ROLESS ROLES

• Combines male and female Combines male and female characteristics (Expressive and characteristics (Expressive and instrumental).instrumental).

• Flexible gender roles.Flexible gender roles.• More satisfying marriages.More satisfying marriages.• Allows the ability to form & sustain Allows the ability to form & sustain

intimate relationships.intimate relationships.• May have two sources of feeling May have two sources of feeling

inadequate – pressure to feel male & inadequate – pressure to feel male & female.female.

ANDROGYNOUS ROLES ANDROGYNOUS ROLES TESTTEST

Take Androgyny Test page 133 in text.

Gender Roles in Gender Roles in TransitionTransition

MOVEMENTSMOVEMENTS• Economics, voting, suffrage.Economics, voting, suffrage.• NOW: gender reform, gay /lesbian NOW: gender reform, gay /lesbian

rights, abortion.rights, abortion.• Greatest problem areas are Greatest problem areas are

housework and childcare housework and childcare responsibilities.responsibilities.

• Change difficult because sometimes Change difficult because sometimes negative reaction towards men who negative reaction towards men who display female traits. display female traits.

• Religion supports traditional roles.Religion supports traditional roles.• Since 1960, women have been seen Since 1960, women have been seen

as more intelligent. 1970 greatest as more intelligent. 1970 greatest change. change.

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

1. Androgyny: Combining male & female 1. Androgyny: Combining male & female characteristics. Andro=man, gyny=womancharacteristics. Andro=man, gyny=woman

2. Bipolar Gender Role: male - instrumental, 2. Bipolar Gender Role: male - instrumental, woman - expressive. Polar opposites.woman - expressive. Polar opposites.

3. Gender Identity: Learn at early age 3. Gender Identity: Learn at early age whether male or female.whether male or female.

4. Gender Role: Roles we are expected to 4. Gender Role: Roles we are expected to perform due to male/female.perform due to male/female.

5. Gender Role Attitude: Belief of what is 5. Gender Role Attitude: Belief of what is appropriate behavior, traits.appropriate behavior, traits.

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

6. Intensive Mothering Ideology: Children 6. Intensive Mothering Ideology: Children need full time intensive, unconditional need full time intensive, unconditional attention from mothers in order to attention from mothers in order to develop into healthy, well adjusted develop into healthy, well adjusted adults.adults.

7. Matriarchal: Female dominates 7. Matriarchal: Female dominates politically & economically, not evident in politically & economically, not evident in world.world.

8. Modeling: Learn through imitation.8. Modeling: Learn through imitation.9. Patriarchal: Male dominates politically 9. Patriarchal: Male dominates politically

& economically.& economically.

VOCABULARYVOCABULARY

10. Post Gender Relationship: Great 10. Post Gender Relationship: Great equality in marriage.equality in marriage.

11. Pro-feminist: Fairness is the main 11. Pro-feminist: Fairness is the main issue. Want men close to children issue. Want men close to children and responsible to family. Issues and responsible to family. Issues with only men being drafted.with only men being drafted.