CHAPTER 4 -GENDER ROLES

1. CHAPTER 4 -GENDER ROLES Instructor: Wendy Crapo

2. Used by permission of THE ACADEMY OF NURSING 2355 E. 3900 S. S.L.C., UT 84124 801-506-0064

3. HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT • Women generally live longer. • Women have lower basic metabolism. • Women have shorter head, broader face, less protruding chin, shorter legs and longer trunk. • Men’s teeth generally last longer. • Women have larger stomachs, kidneys and livers but smaller lungs. • Women’s thyroids are larger and more active.

4. HOW MEN & WOMEN ARE DIFFERENT continued • Women’s blood contains more water and 20% fewer red cells thus more prone to faint. • Men are 50% stronger than women. • A woman’s heart beats more rapidly. (80 beats/minute compared to 72 for men) • Woman’s blood pressure is generally 10 points lower. • Women tolerate higher temperatures better than lower temperatures – men are the opposite.

5. WOMEN HAVE EVOLVED • Able to vote now • Can run for political office • Many more are working and having careers • Sexual harassment is against the law (1976) • Marital rape against the law in most states • Abortion

6. UNDERSTANDING ROLES They are only used to limit our development into complete human beings. • How are genders opposite or similar? • Hormones different (female = estrogen, male = androgens) • Are we more alike than different? • Can either gender fill roles?

7. WHAT IF YOU WERE THE OPPOSITE SEX? • Different career choice? • Appearance? • Aggression? • Peer relations and activities? • Personal Behavior? • Self concept? • Freedom & restrictions? • Home life? • School life? • Value judgments

8. GENDER VOCABULARY • GENDER SCHEMA:exaggerated differences, acquired early in childhood. The earlier learned the more influential & stereotypical. • BIPOLAR MODEL: Explains differences • GENDER ROLE ATTACHMENT: Beliefs of what is appropriate behavior for gender. Boys model Dads. • GENDER ROLE IDENTITY: Learned young and is deepest concept we hold of self. Question: How do you feel when you can't tell if a person is male or female?

9. THEORIES GENDER THEORY: Gender is what we “do”. The idea of “opposites” suppresses and constrains behavior. Denies us opportunities. • When you have a circle and divide it you have two separate entities. You begin to compare and contrast. 1. What creates masculinity/femininity? Page 110 read: study = culture. Some societies studied where women are like men. Questions: 2. What created male dominance in society? Society, religion, government, or family.

10. Theories continued SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY: We learn attitudes and behaviors by interactions. Consequences control behavior. But punishment is not a part of this theory compared to behaviorists. BEHAVIORIST THEORY SUBSET • We treat girls and boy different and reinforce different things. • Parents don't usually acknowledge that they treat boys/girls differently. Activity: Show video clip of how people treat same baby.

11. Theories continued COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT THEORY: Active interpretation of messages received from the environment.Stresses age in learning. • Kohlberg research found that up to 6-7 years it is superficial and children determine sex by external appearances (clothing, hair). • One wants congruence and therefore we act appropriately to our gender. • Primary motive is internal – independently strive to fulfill role.

12. LEARNING GENDER ROLES 1. Manipulation 2. Channeling toys 3. Verbal appellations 4. Activity exposure • Girls encouraged to be like Mom “Mother's little helper”. • Teens treated different. Sons achievements are more important.

13. Learning Gender Roles(continued) • TEACHERS - usually women. • Give more attention to boys. • More patient with boys • Girls praised more for neatness of work than accuracy. • Girls excel until teens - WHY? Girls devalued, boys valued. • 9-15 years old - drastic drop in self esteem. • Only at all girl schools do girls assert themselves in school. • Both suffer in school and would benefit from more gender equity.

14. Learning Gender Roles(continued) • PEERS: • Influenced by approval and acceptance • Model after peers • Seek intimacy of peers • PARENTS - most influential when children. They deny they treat both differently but they do.

15. Learning Gender Roles • ADULTS • College - open new alternatives to gender roles. • Marriage - create roles. Men more traditional & gain more by believing women are naturally better. • Parenting - roles are painfully unclear. • Work - women downplayed, more pressure, less achievement. • Media - women absent in video games, MTV has women as erotic backdrops, video & TV condescending and provocative, under age 40 and attractive. • From 7-12 grade listen to 10,500 hour music.

16. IMMIGRANT GENDER ROLES • Children increase gender role stress. • Men’s greatest stress is the work role. • Women’s greatest stress is the family role. • Working class differentiates the roles more. • First generation Latinos more reluctant to work outside home. • African American men most supportive of working women.

17. TRADITIONAL MALE ROLE What was the traditional role of a man. • TRANSITIONS: men unsure of meaning of masculinity. • Good husband = good provider but wife wants closeness. • If wife works = guilt & conflict. • Marriage = sharing and fairness but often husband is senior partner. • African Americans already equalitarian. Question:

18. Male Roles in Transition CONSTRAINTS:Men don't usually have the option not to work. • Men less emotionally expressive but negative attitude if emotional (different for women). • Difficulty expressing feelings • Unsatisfactory relationships with children • Lower life expectancy, heart disease, hypertension

19. TRADITIONAL FEMALE ROLE • Women were seen as less competent. • Women less happy in marriage (singles happier). • Due to fatigue, stress and lack of leisure. • Women get old, men get distinguished.

20. CONTEMPORY GENDER ROLES • Expansion of man’s family role • Work and professional roles for women • Breakdown of male instrumentality and female expressiveness. Question: Is it possible that the new contemporary gender role is still limiting our potential? If so how?

21. ANDROGYNOUS ROLES • Combines male and female characteristics (Expressive and instrumental). • Flexible gender roles. • More satisfying marriages. • Allows the ability to form & sustain intimate relationships. • May have two sources of feeling inadequate – pressure to feel male & female.

22. ANDROGYNOUS ROLES TEST Activity: Take Androgyny Test page 133 in text.

23. Gender Roles in Transition MOVEMENTS • Economics, voting, suffrage. • NOW: gender reform, gay /lesbian rights, abortion. • Greatest problem areas are housework and childcare responsibilities. • Change difficult because sometimes negative reaction towards men who display female traits. • Religion supports traditional roles. • Since 1960, women have been seen as more intelligent. 1970 greatest change.

24. VOCABULARY 1. Androgyny: Combining male & female characteristics. Andro=man, gyny=woman 2. Bipolar Gender Role: male - instrumental, woman - expressive. Polar opposites. 3. Gender Identity: Learn at early age whether male or female. 4. Gender Role: Roles we are expected to perform due to male/female. 5. Gender Role Attitude: Belief of what is appropriate behavior, traits.

25. VOCABULARY 6. Intensive Mothering Ideology: Children need full time intensive, unconditional attention from mothers in order to develop into healthy, well adjusted adults. 7. Matriarchal: Female dominates politically & economically, not evident in world. 8. Modeling: Learn through imitation. 9. Patriarchal: Male dominates politically & economically.

26. VOCABULARY 10. Post Gender Relationship: Great equality in marriage. 11. Pro-feminist: Fairness is the main issue. Want men close to children and responsible to family. Issues with only men being drafted.