Social Role Theory/ Masculine Gender Role – Flashcards

o Sex differences in behavior arise from distribution of men and women into social roles in society • Women more likely assume domestic roles of homemaker and primary caretaker of children • Men more likely to assume roles in paid economy and be primary family providers o Says men and women have different roles in society • Men are stronger and women bear children • Caused by basic biological differences • Division of labor between sexes leads to gender roles/ stereotypes OR sex-typed skills and beliefs, both of which cause gender differences.

Normative Influence: adhere because we fear rejection Informational Influence Cognitive Efficient: its efficient not to think about norms just to do them

o The model also assumes that the sensitivity of hormonal processes to social roles contributes to observed gender differences o Remember activational effects of hormones? • Some of the reason we see gender differences is due to activational effects o Well, the different roles men and women occupy activate different hormones, which create observed psychological and behavioral differences

Psychology= Men Psychology of Women Psychology of Men

Inner sense of being male/ female Inner psychological need for a sex role identity to be achieved Optimal Personality development hinges on sex role identity

Success Norm: industrialized (high salary, sole provider) Toughness Norm: physical, emotional, mental Aggressiveness Norm Anti-femininity Norm

o Dysfunction strain: some gender role characteristics may be maladaptive • Problematic to live up to norms o Discrepancy strain: a large proportion of men do not live up to gender roles - has negative consequences • There will always be a discrepancy between idealized norm and actual way a person is viewed/ views themselves. o Gender roles are often inconsistent

o Masculinity is perceived as not a developmental certainty, is tenuous o Something that can be lost, even once achieved o Same is not true for femininity, though o Masculinity, because it is precarious, must be validated or requires public proof o And, if masculinity is threatened, this can lead to anxiety and aggression o Aggression is a way to reassert manhood