Gender Differences and Stereotypes Chapter 4 By: Dan Nourry & Julie Cameron

In what ways do males and females behave differently in society?

Women and men behave similarly over 98% of the time –Differences may emerge more strongly under some conditions and less strongly under others

Women Better at sending and decoding nonverbal messages More expressive of certain emotions More concerned about maintaining intimacy in their close relationships

Men Better at controlling their nonverbal expressions More instrumental or task-oriented More concerned about maintaining independence in their close relationships

What factors in our society may contribute to these differences?

Stereotypes Concerning Gender Women should behave communally, exhibiting nurturing and socially sensitive attributes that demonstrate concern for others Express their emotions Women should not display dominant, competitive and achievement oriented behavior

Example Boy around 2 yrs old had long, blond hair and a waitress came up and said, ‘Oh she’s so cute. What a sweetie.’ Mother said, ‘Well, he’s actually a boy.’ The waitress without missing a beat, said Tough little guy, huh?”

The Media Newsweek –“Do males have a math gene? Playing Unfair: The Media Image of Female AthletePlaying Unfair: The Media Image of Female Athlete

Redefining Stereotypes Definition of what is feminine has expanded since the 1970s, but the definition of masculinity has not been similarly revised

To what extent have gender stereotypes affect the way you were raised?

Children 24 months they begin to define themselves as “girls” or “boys” Believed that their parents were very supportive of their play with gender-typical toys but less accepting of cross-gender choices By age 5 they have rigid definitions of how girls and boys should behave

Example Study in 2000 of 600 children in 3 rd and 4 th grade found that their parents and teachers believed that boys were better at math, even thought the text scores showed no gender differences

Did gender stereotypes has especially positive or negative influences?

Negative Influence Women who behave in like “men” are less socially accepted than men who behave the same way Successful women in male dominated fields are believed to have a deficit in interpersonal and communal domains and childless females were viewed as less likable when compared to their male counterparts. However females with children were viewed equally likable as their male counterparts Can affect a couple’s ability to communicate effectively and affect the longevity of their relationship Women with strong opinions are more likely to be disliked

Math and Science Children learn at a young age that boys are suppose to be better at math than girls –3 rd and 4 th gr. boys and girls like math equally –Between 4 th and 12 th gr. girls who like science and math drops form 66% to 48% and 50% say they would no longer like to study math anymore Kids, parents and teachers buy into the idea that girls’ deficiencies in math, even when the facts state otherwise Due to negative stereotypes women tend not to select or persist in math and science fields, even if they are highly capable of performing well

Conclusion Once stereotypes are formed they are highly resistant to change Self-reported gender differences, like gender stereotypes are pancultural It is important for teachers to recognize that gender stereotypes are social constructs and do not reflect most peoples expectations for what males and females can or should be.

References Fagot, Beverly I. Gender Labeling, Gender Stereotyping, and Parenting Behaviors. Journal of Applied Psychology. Vol 28, Issue 2. (2006). Freeman, Nancy. Preschooler’s Prescriptions of Gender Appropriate Toys and Their Parents’ Beliefs About Genderized Behaviors: Miscommunication, Mixed Messages, or Hidden Truths?. Early childhood Education Journal. Vol 34. no 5. (2007). Heilman, Madeline E. Why Are Women Penalized for Success at Male tasks? The Implied Communality Deficit. Journal of Applied Psychology. Vol (2007). Hughes, Farrah. M. Gender Stereotypes: Children’s Perceptions of Future Compensatory Behavior Following Violations of Gender Roles. Sex Roles. Vol. 49. (2003) Lima, Ralph L. Cross-Cultural Gender Differences. American Psychological Association. (1994). Vogel, David L. Confirming Gender Stereotypes: A Social Role Perspective. Sex Roles. Vol. 48. (2003).