Social Role Theory Leah Hyde

Gender Stereotypes Men Aggressive - Dominant Direct - Acts as a leader Independent - Never cries Active - Logical Not emotional - Worldly Objective Men

Gender Stereotypes Women Gentle Easily expresses tender feelings Tactful Quite Religious Neat Aware of others’ feelings Easily expresses tender feelings Enjoys art and literature Need for security Women

Why do women and men differ in their social behavior? Eagly’s Social Role Theory of sex differences in social behavior Social Role Theory- suggests that almost all behavioral differences we know about between males and females is the result of cultural stereotypes about gender (how males and females are supposed to act) and the resulting social roles that are taught to young people.

Alice Eagly a social psychologist whose interests are mainly in two areas-the psychology of attitudes and the psychology of gender new research is on sex differences in attitudes on social and political issues Recently published over 20 books Currently a professor at Northwestern Enjoys the arts, especially classical music, theater, dance, and painting

Her Argument “The gender roles that emerge from a society’s division of labor by sex are thus not arbitrary cultural constructions.” “Gender roles are thus emergents from the productive work of the sexes; the characteristics embodied in these roles become stereotypic of women and men and facilitate the activities typically carried out by the workers of each sex.”

( supports social role theory and not evolutionary theory) This implies… … that is because of a division of labor that women and men are different and not because of evolutionary psychology characteristics. … because of the division of labor, women came to be regarded as housewives, not being able to work with men, but rather doing house related duties such as taking care of the children and cooking. ( supports social role theory and not evolutionary theory)

So what are the actual differences in social behavior So what are the actual differences in social behavior? (Eagly and Wood 1991) 9 differences in adults observed across many studies 1- Women are better at sending and receiving messages non-verbally 2- Women conform to group pressures more then men 3- Women act more friendly and agree more with other group member in small groups

…Actual differences… 4- Men are more strictly task-oriented in work groups 5- All female groups typically perform better than all male groups 6- Men are more likely to emerge as leaders in initially leaderless groups 7- Men are more helpful in short-term interactions with strangers

…Actual Differences… 8- Men behave more aggressively to others than women, particularly when the aggression brings about physical harm or pain 9- Women report more life satisfaction and happiness then men

How are these differences are produced? Social Role Theory and not because of evolutionary theory Pregnancy of women causes a difference If men were getting pregnant, then women would have been the ones that provide everything that is necessary for the baby to live. Differential treatment of girls and boys, which is still evident in the way children are raised (but steadily disappearing with the growing number of educated women)

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