CHAPTER 8 being more engaged in and concerned about their

GENDER ROLES AND SOCIALIZATION connections with coworkers.

Stereotypes about gender oversimplify the similarities

Gender Roles
and differences between men and women.
Refers to the responsibilities assigned to men and
Gender stereotypes frequently make exaggerated or
women based on their perceived disparities.
incorrect claims about the characteristics of male and
The goal of gender roles is to establish limits between women.
what is seen acceptable for men and women in society
with relation to both public and private spheres.
Gender Roles versus Sex Roles
Both men and women play multiple roles in their lives,
including those related to the creation and maintenance Sex and gender are two distinct concepts.
of the family and the home as well as the task and Sex roles suggest that these are biologically determined.
activities related to their productive domain. Gender Roles are culturally generated behaviors.
The duties of that men and women are expected to fill
Sex Roles
based on their sex are known as gender roles.
Feminine Roles Masculine Roles
Women are known to be more nurturing than men. To Child-bearing Ovum Fertilization
take on the typical feminine role, a woman could take Lactation Produces spermatozoa
up a full-time job at home to support her family rather which determines child’s
than working outside home. sex
Gestation
Men are typically viewed as leaders in traditional gender
roles. The traditional interpretation of the masculine Difference between Sex and Gender Roles
role proposes that male should be the heads of their Gender Roles Sex Roles
houses by supporting the family financially and making May differ from society Same in all societies, they
crucial family decisions. to society are universal, it is only
women who can give
According to ecological perspective, interactions among
birth to children.
people, communities, and their environments shape Can change history Never change with
gender roles. history
According to biological perspective, men and women Can be performed by Can be performed by
naturally gravitate towards the feminine roles and the both sexes only one of the sexes.
They are socially, They are biologically
masculine roles respectively.
culturally determined determined.
According to sociological perspective, male and female
duties are learned, and they are not always related to
Categories Of Human Activities Based on The Sexual
the biological characteristics of men and women.
Division of Labor
According to feminist perspective, gender role may
Men play more important role in the productive sphere
contend that because gender roles are learnt, they can
than in the home or reproductive sphere.
also be unlearned and that new and different roles can
be formed, which is related to the sociological Men can perform their task sequentially rather than
perspective. simultaneously because their productive employment
typically occurs outside home.
Men are more likely to be expected to work in
management and executive position, whereas women Men typically wield more political power and are able to
are more likely to be expected to work as secretaries. exert more influence on their communities because
they are more involved in political decision making than
Mane are also perceived as being more ambitious and
women.
task-focused at work, while women are perceived as
Men sit more in assemblies and councils and oversee Peer groups play a big part in gender socialization since
more government agencies than women. kinds interact with and learn from their peers. Gender
stereotypes are frequently reinforced through peer
They often have more economic clout than women
groups.
since they own more medium- and large- sized
businesses and commercial ventures. Another important tool for gender socialization is the
mass media. Women are frequently presented as
Women frequently have to manage many tasks at once
spouses or moms in television. When women are given
due to their propensity to play multiple roles in the
the lead, they frequently take on either they paly good,
reproductive and productive realms.
saint-like figure or a bad, hypersexual character.
Based on the sexual division of labor, there are five basic
Additionally, advertisements on television and in other
categories of human activities;
media serve to propagate gender inequalities and
1. Productive Roles- male typically dominate in stereotypes. Ads for products linked to cooking,
this pursuit because they have more time and cleaning, or childcare virtually exclusive feature women.
greater abilities which translate into more pay.
Gender socialization occurs through various channels,
2. Reproductive Roles- all activities required for
including family, schools, peer groups, workplace, and
preservation and survival of human life are
the media. Each socializing agent reinforces gender
called as reproduction.
norms and expectations, shaping individuals' behaviors
3. Community Management Roles- refers to task
and attitudes. Despite efforts towards gender equality,
that are typically done by women as an
inequalities and stereotypes can still persist within
extension of their reproductive responsibilities
families and society at large.
for the benefit of community, such as provision
and upkeep of scare resources. Conflict and political instability are two examples of
4. Community Politics Role- men engage in this political crises that can have a substantial impact on
activity at local level, organizing and frequently gender roles and relationships. For instance, women and
within the framework of national politics. girls may be singled out for abuse and violence during
5. Multiple Roles- men and women both fill a times of conflict, increasing their vulnerability and
variety of roles. marginalization.

Gender and Socialization

Gender socialization begins at an early age, and children

learn that there are different expectations and norms
for boys and girls.

Cross cultural research shown that at the age of two or

three, children are aware of gender roles. Most kids are
well established in culturally accepted gender roles by
the time of four or five years old.

Overgeneralizing about the attitudes, characteristics, or

behavioral pattern of women or men is known as
gender stereotyping.

Children actively promote and apply gender norms to

those around them, and nonconformity to gender roles
can lead to negative consequences such as teasing or
exclusion.