Biosocial Approach Gender Development

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Biosocial Approach Gender Development
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GenderCharacteristics, whether biological or
socially influenced, by which people define male
and female

• Women

• Men

• Describe themselves in more relational terms
• Experience more relationship-linked emotions
• More empathetic
• Gravitate toward jobs that reduce inequalities

• Focus on tasks and on connections with large
  groups
• Respond to stress with fight or flight response
• Gravitate toward jobs that enhance inequalities

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Division of labour

• Why are men seen as the breadwinners or hunter
  gatherers?
• Why are women often given the role of homemaker
  and child minder?
• Does our society today still benefit from gender
  roles or is it becoming more similar?

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Exceptions
Agta Tribe (Philippines) Aka Tribe (Africa) Dian
a Hunting Goddess
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Women during the Wars

• Mechanics
• Engineers
• Tank drivers
• Building ships
• Working in factories - making bombs and aircraft
  parts
• Air raid wardens
• Driving fire engines
• Plumbers
• Ambulance drivers
• WRVS volunteers
• Nurses

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Biosocial Theory
Parental expectations
Money and Ehrhardt (1972)
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Social Role Theory
Eagly and Wood (1999)
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What about sex differences in mate choice?

• Resources
• Domestic
• Compliment
• each other

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• Gender and Mating Preferences
• Men seek out quantity
• Spreading genes widely
• Women seek out quality
• Protecting and nurturing of offspring

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• Equal Pay
• Maternity cover

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Hormonal differences

• Are these differences a cause or an outcome?
• Eagly and Wood (2002) hormonal differences may
  be an outcome of social roles e.g. testosterone
  as a result of engaging in more active and
  competitive activities

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• Gender and Hormones
• Gender gap in aggression seems influenced by
  testosterone
• As humans age they become more androgynous
• Mixing both masculine and feminine
  characteristics

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Social Constructionist Approach

• Eagly and Wood
• Human behaviour is mainly an invention or outcome
  of a particular society or culture
• Behaviours are best explained in the context in
  which thy occur
• Luxen (2007)
• High ethical appeal if sex roles are perceived as
  more flexible

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• Buss (1989)
• 37 cultures examined
• 10,000 people
• Women desire mates with good financial prospects
• Men placed more evidence on physical
  attractiveness and youth- fertility and obedience
• Both look for intelligence, kindness and
  loyal/dependable
• (supports evolutionary)

• Eagly Wood (1999)
• Used Gender Empowerment Measure
• When women had higher status (more equal)
  mating preferences become less pronounced
• Therefore social roles are driving force in
  psychological sex differences

However, Gangestad et al (2006) Re-examined same
data Gender equality not related to sex
differences. Therefore evolutionary theory
better explanation
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Culture

• Gender Role
• Set of behavior expectations (norms) for males
  and females
• Gender roles vary over culture
• Gender roles vary over time

• Peer-Transmitted Culture
• 50 percent of individual variations in
  personality traits is by parental nurturing
• The other 50 percent is peer influence