sex dif 13

Chapter 13 : Chapter 13 Sex Differences and Gender-Role Development


Exams : Exams Exam #3: Mean = 78.1 Exam #4 Monday, April 30th 7pm Alumni Hall


Are Men and Women Really Different? : Are Men and Women Really Different?


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A popular topic! : A popular topic! John Gray Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus – 30 million copies; translated into 40 languages Suggests there are fundamental psychological differences Deborah Tannen: You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation – New York Times bestseller for 4 years; translated into 24 languages Suggests culture explains the differences


What is Gender? : What is Gender? Sex vs. Gender Gender is the social and psychological dimensions of being male or female Sex is the biological dimension of being male or female based on 23rd pair of chromosomes XX = female Xy = male


Other Definitions of Gender : Other Definitions of Gender Gender identity – the sense of being male or female, which most children acquire by the time they are 3 years old Gender role – set of expectations that prescribe how females and males should think act and feel


Sex-Role Development and Sex Differences : Sex-Role Development and Sex Differences Sex-Role (Gender Identity) Development Beliefs about what it means to be a 'boy' or a 'girl' Socialization of boys and girls to act in 'gender appropriate' or sex-stereotypical ways Sex Differences Actual differences between boys and girls in self-esteem, aggression, achievement, etc.


Development of Gender Typed Behavior : Development of Gender Typed Behavior By 2 ½ years old children prefer same sex playmates Boys face stronger pressures than girls to adhere to gender appropriate codes of conduct Around adolescence more girls begin to follow the feminine stereotypes


Development of Gender Identity : Age Gender Identity 2-3 Ability to discriminate boys and girls Child can label self as a boy or girl 3-6 Recognition that gender is fixed Essentialist bias Gender segregation 7-11 Increasing gender segregation 12 up Gender identity becomes more salient; increase pressure conform to gender role Decreasing gender segregation More flexible gender stereotypes Development of Gender Identity


“Once there was a girl named Chris who went to live on a beautiful island where there were only boys and men. Chris was the only girl. Chris lived a very happy life on this island, but never saw another girl or woman. What would Chris be like?” : 'Once there was a girl named Chris who went to live on a beautiful island where there were only boys and men. Chris was the only girl. Chris lived a very happy life on this island, but never saw another girl or woman. What would Chris be like?' Essentialist bias: - Children who are about 3- to 8-years old believe Chris would act like a typical girl (be stereotypically feminine) - Children over 8 believe Chris would act like a girl but understand that the environment might influence her behavior and make her act more masculine


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES


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SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES Actual Psychological Differences Between the Sexes Verbal Ability – girls are superior Visual/Spatial Abilities – boys are superior Evident by 4, persists across life span Mathematical Abilities In adolescence, boys better at arithmetic reasoning Girls better at computational skills


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES Aggression Beginning at age 2, boys are more physically and verbally aggressive Girls more likely to display covert aggression


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : Aggression Up to age 2, no sex difference in aggression (in fact, some studies show that aggression is more common in play groups dominated by girls) By age 4 or 5, boys show higher levels of aggression By adolescence, boys are much more aggressive (and show more conduct problems and higher levels of delinquency) Conduct disorder is 6-10 times more common in boys Men commit more crime across cultures SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES


Slide17 : AGGRESSION LEVEL AT AGE 8 CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS


Sex Differences in Aggression:Overt vs. Relational Aggression : Maybe girls show aggression differently than boys Overt aggression Physical assaults (hitting) and verbal assaults (yelling, insulting) Relational aggression Excluding others; withdrawing acceptance; spreading false rumors Study of 3rd to 6th grade children Examined sex differences in overt and relational aggression Peer nominations of aggressive kids Sex Differences in Aggression: Overt vs. Relational Aggression


Slide19 : % of Children Overt vs. Relational Aggression


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES Other Sex Differences Activity level – boys are more physically active (even before birth) Fear, timidity, and risk-taking – girls are more fearful, timid, and take fewer risks Developmental vulnerability – boys are more vulnerable to prenatal and perinatal hazards and disease


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES Emotional expressivity / sensitivity Beginning in toddlerhood Boys express more anger Girls express most other emotions more frequently Compliance – girls are more compliant


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Seems like there are some real differences between men and women : Seems like there are some real differences between men and women


Slide24 : The president of Harvard University has caused a stir among academics by suggesting women have less innate ability at science and maths than men.


But, our perceptions and behaviors matter : But, our perceptions and behaviors matter


Examples of perceived gender differences : Examples of perceived gender differences Condry and Condry(1976) – college students watch a video of a 9-month old playing with a toy – interpret his or her reaction Strong reactions to the jack in the box was labeled Fear = girls Anger = boys


Phillip Goldberg (1968) : Phillip Goldberg (1968) Manuscript from either John McKay or Joan McKay – otherwise identical Participants judged the articles written by a male to be of higher quality than those by the female


Scholastic influences : Scholastic influences Teachers beliefs can effect boys and girls performance in school This has been seen in elementary, high school and college Teachers call on boys more, and make more eye contact with boys. Boys receive more positive reinforcement for their comments than female students. (Sadker and Sadker, 1994)


Gender differences in college : Gender differences in college Even though men and women attend college in equal numbers there is a significant variation in what classes they take Education and social science = females Engineering, physical science and math = males If women do go into math and engineering their drop out rate is 2.5 times higher than men. Women who stay in the major are more likely to do worse than males even if they entered with similar SAT scores and preparation


How do gender role stereotypes persist? : How do gender role stereotypes persist? Cognitive schemas – if it matches our belief (stereotype) then the belief if confirmed and strengthened. If it doesn’t match it is likely to pass unnoticed Selective attention


How do gender role stereotypes persist? : How do gender role stereotypes persist? Sex Differences in Ability/Vocational Opportunity? Self-fulfilling prophecy promotes sex differences in cognitive performance Home Influences Parents expect sons to outperform daughters in math Son’s successes are due to ability, daughter’s due to hard work


How do gender role stereotypes persist? : How do gender role stereotypes persist? Home Influences, continued Children internalize parent’s views, boys become self-confident Girls lose interest in math, due to perceived lack of ability Scholastic Influences Teachers have similar views affecting children in a similar manner


SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES : SOME FACTS AND FICTIONS ABOUT SEX DIFFERENCES Conclusions Differences reflect group averages Differences are small Differences are most apparent at the extremes Males and females are much more psychologically similar than they are different


Slide34 : Size of the average gender difference (d = .21)


How Do We Explain Differences Between Men and Women? : How Do We Explain Differences Between Men and Women?


Social Learning Perspective : Social Learning Perspective Direct tuition – children are encouraged and rewarded for gender-appropriate behaviors Parents begin the process Siblings and peers reinforce it Observational learning – children adopt the attitudes and behaviors of same-sex models Also important is the label attached to the attitude or behavior Same-sex models become more important at ages 5 to 7, when gender is unchanging aspect of the self Media influences


Video : Video Brandon and Rachel


Gender Stereotypes : Gender Stereotypes Masculine Characteristics Feminine Characteristics Active Aware of other’s feelings Adventurous Considerate Aggressive Cooperative Ambitious Cries easily Competitive Emotional Dominant Gentle Independent Kind Persistent Needs approval Self-reliant Understanding INSTRUMENTAL EXPRESSIVE ['Getting Ahead'] ['Getting Along']


Biological Perspective : Biological Perspective Differences between males and females can be explained by differences in the brain Brain differences emerge from evolutionary pressures


Video : Video The Sexual Brain, and Men, Women, and the Brain


An Integrative Theory : An Integrative Theory Biological theories account for major biological developments Social-theories account for differential reinforcement processes Cognitive development explains the growth of categorization skills Gender schemas are also important as are models as children age


Video : Video Sex and Gender


PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? : PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? Historically, masculinity and femininity were at opposite ends of a single dimensions Androgyny – sees them as 2 separate dimensions, allowing individuals to be high in both masculine and feminine traits


PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? : PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? Do Androgynous People Really Exist? In a college student sample 33% were masculine men or feminine women 30% were androgynous 27% undifferentiated or gender-type reversed


PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? : PSYCHOLOGICAL ANDROGYNY: A PRESCRIPTION FOR THE 21st CENTURY? Are There Advantages to Being Androgynous? More highly adaptable to the situation Higher self-esteem More likeable Perceived as better adjusted The masculine traits are more important for adjustment


Slide46 : Shouldn’t be asking how different are men and women? Should ask: Under what conditions are men and women similar and different?