Gender, Media and Socialization

1. Gender, Media and Socialization VIII International Conference on Social Representation Social Representations: Media & Society Rome, Italy August 28th – September 1st 2006 Maria de Fátima Goulão Universidade Aberta, Portugal

2. Agenda 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

3. The study on how the media propagates certain groups (family, young, old people) and certain relations (young-old, gender) is a most valuable instrument to understand the framing of people’s values and references. This a privileged field for the informal education, but with important repercussions in society, generally speaking.

4. Accordingly, to Duarte (2005) the way in which women are represented in the media, most probably, reproduces how they are seen and perceived by the majority of those who consume these productions.

5. Studies on the feminine universe have been announcing new possibilities of being a woman, that make the traditional stereotypes shiver and that are looking for the shaking of the traditional dichotomy between masculine and feminine. One aims now to active women and to the feminine power, questioning the myth of the fragile woman, incapable and uncontrolled, unable to take the lead of her own destiny. However, the fragile aspect, emotional, as well as certain beauty stereotypes and way of being in life, of women, keep being present in advertising campaigns.

6. 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

7. Objectives • It seemed pertinent to base our discussion in an advertising campaign, aiming to perceive the opinion of a group of youngsters as to the impact of mass media, namely advertising, in our life, by contributing to make and unmake ideals, concepts of life and of well-being, by reproducing values and stereotypes, in short, by serving to perpetuate certain ideas.

8. 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

9. Hypotheses Hypothesis 1 Hypothesis 2 There are significant differences, on how to face the feminine figure, in the advertising campaign between the two age groups. There are significant differences, on how to face the feminine figure, in the advertising campaign between boys and girls.

10. 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

11. Instrument Sample The questionnaire = 2 parts N = 108 subjects 1st – Identification data 2nd – Group of statements • Sex: • 39% male • 61% female Scale going from Total disagreement … Total agreement. Their average age is of 16 years old. Min = 14 years old Max = 19 years old Methods

12. 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

13. Results Average values of the questionnaire (N = 108)

14. Results - Age Graphic representation of average results based in age group the questions, assembling the major consense among subjects major difference of opinion between the two groups ?

15. Results - Age Can these differences be considered statistically significant? Absolute value of T statistic based in age G1 = (14 a 16) G2 = (17 a 19) 6. The feminine figure is more appealing to men 12. It is a well achieved campaign

16. Results - Gender Graphical representation of average results based on gender the questions, assembling the major consense among subjects major difference of opinion between the two groups ?

17. Results - Gender Can these differences be considered statistically significant? Absolute value of T statistic based in gender 4. It is a product aiming specially women as they are the ones who Have more free time comparatively to men. 9. Women have more free time to watch TV.

18. Results – Gender and Age Graphical representation of average results based in age group x gender ?

19. Results – Gender and Age Can these differences be considered statistically significant? Absolute value of T statistic based in the subjects’ gender and age group

20. Results – Gender and Age Can these differences be considered statistically significant? Absolute value of T statistic based in age group and gender 4. It is a product aiming specially women as they are the ones with more free time comparatively to men. 9. Women have more free time to watch TV.

21. 1. Introduction 2. Objectives 3. Hypotheses 4. Methods 5. Results 6. Conclusion

22. It is of a general opinion that... women are more talkative than men are; the woman figure is more appealing than man figure, being this a campaign the most accomplished, as this is a product that is mostly aimed to women, because they are the ones who speak more on the phone.

23. Considering the gender variable masculine gender… the woman figure is more appealing than man figure, women are more talkative than men women are more easily influenced by this kind of campaign

24. Considering the gender variable masculine gender… women have more free time to watch TV • for women for they have more free time • compared to men Women … “because they are more concerned with economical aspects than men are”

25. Thank you for your atention! Maria de Fátima Goulão Universidade Aberta, DCSP fgoulao@univ-ab.pt