Daughters are limited by their expectation to be passive and nurturing, generally obedient, and to assume many of the domestic responsibilities.Įven when parents set gender equality as a goal, there may be underlying indications of inequality. Sons are also often free from performing domestic duties such as cleaning or cooking and other household tasks that are considered feminine. They may be given fewer restrictions on appropriate clothing, dating habits, or curfew. For instance, boys are allowed more autonomy and independence at an earlier age than daughters. However, differential socialization typically results in greater privileges afforded to sons. Generally speaking, girls are given more latitude to step outside of their prescribed gender role (Coltrane and Adams 2004 Kimmel 2000 Raffaelli and Ontai 2004). There is considerable evidence that parents socialize sons and daughters differently. Repeated exposure to these agents over time leads men and women into a false sense that they are acting naturally rather than following a socially constructed role.įamily is the first agent of socialization. Exposure also occurs through secondary agents such as religion and the workplace. Each agent reinforces gender roles by creating and maintaining normative expectations for gender-specific behavior. Gender socialization occurs through four major agents of socialization: family, education, peer groups, and mass media. Many sociologists focus on discrimination that is built into the social structure this type of discrimination is known as institutional discrimination (Pincus 2008). It should be noted that discrimination based on sex occurs at both the micro- and macro-levels. While it is illegal in the United States when practiced as discrimination, unequal treatment of women continues to pervade social life. Further, they will grow up believing they deserve to be treated differently from boys (UNICEF 2011 Thorne 1993). In parts of the world where women are strongly undervalued, young girls may not be given the same access to nutrition, healthcare, and education as boys. Sexism refers to prejudiced beliefs that value one sex over another. Gender stereotypes form the basis of sexism. For example, women may be thought of as too timid or weak to ride a motorcycle.įigure 12.9 Although our society may have a stereotype that associates motorcycles with men, women make up a sizable portion of the biker community. Gender stereotyping involves overgeneralizing about the attitudes, traits, or behavior patterns of women or men. Attitudes such as this are typically based on stereotypes, oversimplified notions about members of a group. For example, society often views riding a motorcycle as a masculine activity and, therefore, considers it to be part of the male gender role. Children acquire these roles through socialization, a process in which people learn to behave in a particular way as dictated by societal values, beliefs, and attitudes. At four or five, most children are firmly entrenched in culturally appropriate gender roles (Kane 1996). Cross-cultural studies reveal that children are aware of gender roles by age two or three. SocializationĬhildren learn at a young age that there are distinct expectations for boys and girls. Scripts are generally learned through a process known as socialization, which teaches people to behave according to social norms. Just as a playwright expects actors to adhere to a prescribed script, society expects women and men to behave according to the expectations of their respective gender roles. The “script” written by society is in some ways similar to a script written by a playwright. Aggressive behavior, when it does not inflict significant harm, is often accepted from boys and men because it is congruent with the cultural script for masculinity. The phrase implies that such behavior is unchangeable and something that is part of a boy’s nature. The phrase “boys will be boys” is often used to justify behavior such as pushing, shoving, or other forms of aggression from young boys. (Credit: Sport Suburban/flickr) Gender and Socialization gender roles reinforce the idea that women should be subordinate to men.
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