CHAPTER 12 GENDER ROLES AND SEXUALITY Learning Objectives

CHAPTER 12 GENDER ROLES AND SEXUALITY

Learning Objectives What are gender norms and stereotypes? How do they play out in the behaviors of men and women? What actual psychological differences exist between males and females? How does Eagly’s social role hypothesis explain gender stereotypes?

Male and Female Genetic: XX=female; XY=male Gender Roles: Behaviors Communality versus Agency Gender-Role Norms: Expectations

Male and Female Genetic: XX=female; XY=male Gender Roles: Behaviors Communality versus Agency Gender-Role Norms: Expectations Gender-Role Stereotypes: Overgeneralizations, inaccuracies

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Male and Female Genetic: XX=female; XY=male Gender Roles: Behaviors Communality versus Agency Gender-Role Norms: Expectations Gender-Role Stereotypes: Overgeneralizations, inaccuracies Gender Typing: Acquiring the role

Gender Differences Verbal: Females slightly higher Spatial: Males higher Math: Males highest and lowest Aggression and riskiness: Males Compliant, tactful, cooperative: Females Nurturant, empathic, anxious: Females Vulnerability: Males

A spatial ability task. Are the two figures in each pair alike or different? The task assesses the ability to mentally rotate visual information and is a task in which average differences between males and females are quite large.

Social-role Hypothesis (Eagly) Roles create stereotypes Context and culture important

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Social-role Hypothesis (Eagly) Roles create stereotypes Context and culture important Psychological Differences Few and small Important Differential roles continue Changes occurring today

Learning Objectives How do gender role stereotypes influence infants’ behavior and treatment? How do children acquire gender role stereotypes? In what ways do children exhibit gender-typed behavior? What theoretical explanations account for gender-typed behaviors? How well-supported are these theories?

Infancy Differential treatment Differential expectations By 18 mo: Categorical self By 2½ yr: Gender identity 18 -24 mo: Gender toy preference

Childhood 3 yrs: Gender stereotypes acquired Gender rigidity until age 6 Gender Constancy: By ages 4 -6 Gender-typed behavior by age 2½ Greater by age 6 Stronger rules for boys

Adolescence Gender Intensification Pubertal hormonal changes Preparation for reproductive activities Gender and peer conformity Later adolescence more flexible thinking

Biosocial Theory Biological Development Presence of Y chromosome Testosterone masculinizes brain and nervous system Social influences and labeling at birth Gender behavior through social interaction

Critical events in Money and Ehrhardt’s biosocial theory of gender typing.

Psychoanalytic Theory Oedipus (boy) and Electra (girl) Complex Research Supports: Identification with same-sex parent Preschool years important Importance of father for both Stronger male reaction Greater need to identify with father

Social Learning Theory Differential reinforcement Observational learning Fathers differentiate most Internalization of parent views Peers, media, books, etc.

Cognitive Theories Kohlberg: Self Socialization Stage-Like Changes Gender identity: ages 2 -3 Label themselves correctly Gender stability: ages 3 -4 Stable over time Gender consistency: ages 5 -7 Stable across situations

Gender Schema Theory Information processing approach Gender schemata by ages 2 -3 In-group/out-group schema Own-sex schema Child looks for confirming information in the environment

Gender schema theory in action. A young girl classifies new information according to an in-group – out-group schema as either “for boys” or “for girls. ” Information about boys’ toys and activities is ignored, but information about toys and activities for girls is relevant to the self and is added to an even-larger own-sex schema.

Learning Objectives How do gender roles change throughout adulthood? What is androgyny? To what extent is androgyny useful?

Adulthood Gender Roles Over the Life-Span At marriage: Greater differentiation Birth of child: It increases more Parental imperative Middle age and older: Androgyny shift - does not mean switch

Learning Objectives How are infants affected by their sex? What do we know about infant sexuality? What do children know about sex and reproduction? How does sexual behavior change during childhood? What factors contribute to the development of sexual orientation? What are adolescents’ sexual attitudes today? How would you characterize the sexual behavior of today’s teens.

Sexual Behavior Reproductive sex 2% of sex acts Recreational sex 98% of sex acts Difficult to study Sampling bias Response bias

Sexual Response Cycle Excitement Plateau Orgasm Resolution Refractory period (men)

The Role of Chemicals Hormones Androgens Testosterone Estrogens Pheromones

Ovulation and eroticism About to ovulate=Increased sexual fantasies Increased pheremone production Increased sense of smell

Prefer “ruggedly handsome” Men’s shifting hormones Anticipation increase Married men = lower testosterone at end of day More time with wife = lower testosterone Oxytocin Vasopressin

Sexual Stimuli Visual stimuli Men more aroused than women Nature of video (audience) Less important for women Olfactory stimuli Mating preferences: evolutionary theories Parental investment Concerns about infidelity Adolescents-early sex if friends do it

Sexual Orientation Heterosexual Homosexual 4 -10% DSM Bisexual Biological differences Hypothalamus Genes Environment

What’s Normal? Cultural variations Sexual dysfunction Male erectile dysfunction Female arousal dysfunction Atypical sexual behavior: Paraphilias Pedophile Fetishes Transvestism “Homophobia”

Sexuality Over the Life Span Infant Sexuality: CNS arousal Childhood Learn about reproduction Curiosity and exploration Sexual abuse: like PTSD Adolescence: Sexual identity, orientation Double Standard: Has it declined?

Learning Objective What sexual changes occur in adulthood?

Adult Sexuality Most are married Gradual declines in sexual activity Individual differences Married have more sex Males sexual peak: Age 18 Female sexual peak: Age 38

Older Adults Stereotype: Asexuality Reality: Decline Diseases and disabilities Social attitudes Lack of a partner (especially women) Physiologically able in old age