2. Definitions
Sex
The biological distinction between
males and females

3. GenderCulturally learned differences
between men and women

4. Gender Identification
An individual’s internal sense or
perception of being male or female
Gender Role
The behavior patterns, obligations and
privileges that are considered
appropriate for each sex

5. Cognitive Influences
Cognition:
The act or process of knowing
including both awareness and
judgment

6. Cognitive assignment of gender occurs as the
child grows up…….
1)
Child categorizes self as boy or girl
2)
Begins to value maleness or femaleness
1)
Begins to act according to gender expectations
2)
Views his behavior against these expectations

7. Gender role is learned from
Observation of parents and
other significant persons
(e.g., tv)

8. Reinforcement and punishment
by parents, older sibling peers,
teachers

9. Cultural Influences
Society prescribes
 How a male or female ought to look and
behave
 What type of personality s/he ought to
have
 What roles s/he should perform

10. B. Class exercise
Read the following personality traits
and identify whether these are typically
male or female in your culture.

11. Male or Female Trait?
Active
Aggressive
Courageous
Dominant
Enterprising
Independent
Rude
Severe
Strong
Superstitious
Adventurous
Attractive
Daring
Dreamy
Fearful
Progressive
Sensitive
Soft-hearted
Submissive
Weak
Affectionate
Autocratic
Dependent
Emotional
Forceful
Robust
Sentimental
Stern
Unemotional
Wise

12. Striking agreement on gender
stereotypes by college students from
25 different countries
2/3 agreed to the following gender
roles:

13. Active
Adventurous
Aggressive
Autocratic
Courageous
Daring
Dominant
Enterprising
Forceful
Independent
Progressive
Robust
Rude
Stern
Severe
Strong
Unemotional
Wise

14. Affectionate
Attractive
Dependant
Dreamy
Emotional
Fearful
Sensitive
Sentimental
Soft Hearted
Submissive
Superstitious
Weak

15. In general,
Male stereotype is centered on a set of
traits called “instrumental”
Female stereotype is centered on
“communal” traits

16. Wage Inequities
Update from 2001 Bureau of Labor
Statistics of the chart on page 328 of
Robertson’s chapter on Social
Inequalities in Reader II:

17. National median annual wage for full time
male employees was $37,544
National median annual wage for full time
female employees was $28,184

18. 

The average woman earns 75% of
the average man
Steady increase from 60% in 1975
to 78% in 1993 (see Reader II)
Has remained relatively steady
since then


19.  Average woman has less education
than average man
 Average woman has less job
experience than average man (due to
child rearing leave, which women take
more than men)

20. Reasons for inequities
(or non-comparable worth)
Employers perceive
women as less able
and less committed
than men
Old boy network;
women prevent other
women from rising
(competing)

21. Education Inequalities
Statistics from US Census, people aged
25 and older in 2000

22. All Races
Blacks
Percentage
Male
Female
Male
Female
High School
Diploma or
Equivalent or
higher
84.2
84.0
78.7
78.3
Bachelor’s
Degree or higher
28.5
25.1
16.5
17.7

23. In the Virgin Islands in 2000, according to
the US Census
 60.6% of people 25 and older graduated
from high school or have a GED
(compared to 84.1% in USA)
 16.8% of people 25 and older graduated
from college (compared to 26.2% in USA)

24. Research in Jamaica, Barbados and St.
Vincent in 1994-5, revealed that girls
achieve higher scores in school (Parry,
1996 in Reader II) Possible reasons
include

25. Cultural expectations
Male = macho
Academics = “effeminate,” “sissyish” & “nerdy”
So, male students conform to gender identity
and few males enter education as a
profession

26. Teachers differentiate subject areas along
gender lines
Woodworking, technical drawing = male
Home nutrition, English = female

27. Teachers have clear expectations of
gender-appropriate behavior in
classroom
“Rough” and “boisterous” = male
Males who do not follow expectations receive
peer and teacher pressure to conform

28. Teachers have different expectations of
gender-specific response to verbal
discipline
Conceal response to verbal chastisement
(esp. sarcasm) = male

29. Reading assignments for Gender:

“Inequalities of Gender and Age” by Ian Robertson in
Reader II.
Please note that the research and conclusions by John
Money on page 316 have been refuted. Disregard that
paragraph.

“Class, Race, and Gender Issues in Child Rearing in the
Caribbean” by Elsa A. Leo-Rhynie in Reader II.

“Caribbean Masculinities and Educational Failure” by
Odette Parry in Reader II.