Gender Identities

SEXCharacteristics of males and females

attributable to biology:Sex includes the different chromosomal, hormonal, and anatomical components of males and females that are present at birth

(p. 80)

Gender

Culturally learned differences--in characteristics and behaviors--

between women and men.

Gender Roles

Behavior patterns, obligations, and privileges that are considered

appropriate for each sex

Gender Identity

The degree to which an individual views her- or himself as masculine or feminine based on society’s definition

of appropriate gender roles

Maccoby & Jacklin

Identified areas of psychological functioning in which clear

male/female differences could be established:

• Females have greater verbal ability

• Males have greater visual-spatial ability

• Males perform better on math tests

• Males are more aggressive

Maccoby & JacklinSex Differences

(based solely on biology)

1. Aggressiveness

2. Visual-Spatial Ability

Role of Biological Factors

NEED TO ASK FOUR QUESTIONS:

Do Sex Differences…1. occur early in development, before considerable

learning has a chance to occur?

2. occur consistently across cultures?

3. Occur consistently across species, particularly species closely related to humans (other primates)?

4. Do physiological variables related to gender (sex hormones) have an effect on the behavior in questions?

Theories of Gender Role Socialization

1. Social Learning Theory: Proposes gender roles are the result of direct and observational learning.

2. Social Identification Theory

(cognitive-developmental theory): emphasis on what goes on inside a child’s head.

Kohlberg: Self-socialization

3. Gender Schema Theory: (Bem)Children develop a culturally-based mental framework (i.e. schema) for processing information based on its perceived female/male qualities

4. Social Role Theory (Eagly):sex-based divisions of labor, which occur in almost all societies, leads necessarily to sex differences in behavior and to stereotypical perceptions that women and men are different.

Huber’s Theory of Gender Stratification

1. Foraging and Hoe Societies

2. Agricultural Societies

3. Industrial Societies

4. Postindustrial Societies

5. Chodorow’s Theory of Gender

(psychoanalytic model & object relation theory)the asymmetrical organization of parenting(with the mother as the primary caregiver) is the cause of significant contrasts between male and female gender identity acquisition processes.

* Personal Identification * Positional Identification

Androgyny

Social and psychological condition in which individuals can possess positive qualities associated with

both feminine and masculine gender roles.

How Can Gender Be understood as a Class?