The Theories of Sex and Gender Essay

Gender role expectations are inescapable in our society as we naturally tend to sort humans into categories, the easiest one being gender. Upon first meeting a person, most people automatically classify the other’s gender. With this classification come the inevitable gender role expectations. Even for those who consciously try their hardest not to cloud their perceptions of others based on “traditional” gender role expectations, it is almost impossible not to subconsciously succumb to these expectations that are ingrained in our minds virtually since the day we are born. These expectations often influence how one interacts with another. This is especially important when taking into consideration the effects that gender socialization of children through gendered toys, media, and parental affects child development.

There is insurmountable evidence that points to the idea that gender stereotypes is largely accomplished through social factors. Scholars in both sociological and psychological fields believe that gender is constructed through the modeling of appropriate behaviors and the use of systematic rewards and punishments. Evidence also shows that many aspects of gender are not innate, as evidenced by children who do not exhibit a gender specific preference in friends, clothing or toys when placed in gender neutral settings. Only after negative reactions from parents, teachers, or friends do many children begin to take on the gender roles society comes to see as appropriate for them.

Parents usually encourage these ideas without even realizing it. For example, girls are praised for playing with dolls but boys are often ignored for displaying nurturing behavior. Likewise, boys get attention for being good at sports while girls don’t often receive encouragement for being active. As Bruning points out in his article “Separating the Sexes in Toyland”, these kinds of stereotypes are destructive because they limit our potential (22). It is not difficult to notice that in general little boys are more spatially and mathematically inclined and little girls are more verbal (Arbetter 16). However, a study done in 1992 called “How Schools Shortchange Girls” found that young boys who play with dolls develop better motor skills and girls who play with blocks develop better math and science skills (Zhumkhawala, 48)

Society cements certain roles for children based on gender, and these roles, recognized during infancy with the assistance of consumerism, rarely allow for openness of definition. A study conducted by Witt (1997) observed that parents often expect certain behaviors based on gender as soon as twenty-four hours after the birth of a child. The gender socialization of infants appears most noticeably by the age of eighteen months, when children display sex-stereotyped toy preferences (Caldera, Huston, & O’Brian 1989). This socialization proves extremely influential on later notions and conceptions of gender. Children understand gender in very simple ways, one way being the notion of gender permanence—if one is born a girl or

Children’s gender development begins almost as soon as children can talk (Serbin, Powlishta, & Gulko, 1993). With the early age of gender development, children’s toy choice and play behaviours have been found to be efficient ways of measuring gender stereotypes. Many studies have found that males and females are more likely to engage in gender-typed behaviours during periods of play (Cherney & Dempsey, 2010). Recent research is beginning to see this as a problem and recognizes gender flexibility as more positive for children’s development. An article

Are gender and sex in the same concept? This topic is complicated because countless people confuse these two as the same, but they are two absolutely different concepts. There are several Cultural Myths about gender and sex. Gary Colombo, who wrote: “Thinking Critically, Challenging Cultural Myths” explains that a cultural myth is a “shared set of customs, values, ideas, and beliefs, as well as a common language (3).” In “Sisterhood is Complicated” by Ruth Padawer, a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine, she focuses on gender and social issues. Padawer shows various stereotypes about gender roles and sex, and how they form multiple cultural myths. Pawader also explains how there are positives to being transgender at an all woman’s university. Aaron H. Devor, a Canadian sociologist and sexologist known for research of transsexuality and transgender communities, he wrote: “Becoming Members of Society: Learning the Social Meanings of Gender”; but Stephanie Coontz, The Author of: “ What we Really Miss about the 1950s” explains nostalgia as “a desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one 's life, home, homeland, family and friends a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time (2).”The words’ gender and sex can’t be used interchangeably. However, all the cultural myths that people suggest that gender and sex are the same concept. Therefore aggrandized people should learn the difference between gender and sex and also the

In this article it is clear that parents are allowing their children to take part in activities that are not associated with their gender. This is causing gender identity problems for many children who are never shown how they are to act and what toys to play with. Parents play a pivotal role in the development of their children. Many children may have a difficult time growing out of a stage in their life where they are playing with toys not generally associated with their gender, such as the case in the article. In the textbook, the author states that “For most children, parents are the single most visible and available models of masculinity and femininity,” (Wood, 172). This shows that even though parents feel that they are not impacting their child’s gender identity, that in reality they are. Parents need to act and be positive role models for the way they want their children to act. There may be toys, such as these dolls, that may confuse a child’s gender identity but it is ultimately up to the parent to be a model for the way they want their child to grow up in

There are many theories that discuss the meaning of gender in relation to children and here they will be discussed. Gender as a definition, is ‘the state of being male or female, and only often used with reference to social and cultural difference, rather than biological differences’ (Murray et al, 1961). It has been previously observed that it is early years’ settings that provide the first environment where children are ‘institutionally socialised’ (Gestwicki and Bertrand, 2011). Children begin to develop gender schemas predominantly in the first few years, and the way in which they perceive gender is influenced by those who have an active role in their development (Martin and Ruble, 2004).

Social Learning Theory is a perspective from psychology that was developed to understand the importance of observations and direct instructions that influence gender identity. Professor Susan Golombok at the University of Cambridge and psychology professor Robyn Fivush at Emory College of Art and Science defined Social Learning Theory as a way to study behaviors through differential reinforcement and modeling (Golombok and Fivush, 76). For decades, children were taught to follow specific standards when it comes to gender identity. Girls were encouraged to play with dolls while boys were reinforced to play with cars. Also, children observe adults such as their parents to comprehend and imitate behaviors; consequently, this creates gender stereotypes through differential reinforcement and modeling. Throughout this paper, readers will understand the influence of Social Learning Theory on behaviors and how differential reinforcement and modeling induce gender stereotype.

As we all know, babies cannot make any decision when it comes to their needs and wants including foods, clothes, toys or other. Without even knowing, parents shape the gender stereotypes onto their little kids which becomes a forward behaviors between girls and boys. For instance, in their young age, girls learned how to ask something in a low and intimate voice to their parents while boys will almost shout at a few feet away. Gender

The social constructionist viewpoint on gender and sexuality seems to be the one of the most plausible ways to study and examine the topics. Although biology no doubt has an impact on attraction, and quite possibly gender, society influences the choices of everyone, and whether a person realizes it or not, society shapes their identity. The structure of society and its norms influence everything a person does, including their gender and sexuality. Gender is already considered to be a social construct, and sexuality is well on its way to be considered such as well. People regularly embody something that fits a certain gender categorization in society, usually something within the binary, and then identify with that gender. But, looking

Gender socialisation commences at birth, parental conditioning and expectations are confirmed with the introduction and expectations that girls play with dolls and boys play with trucks and cars. Girls are seen as the homemakers whilst boys are guided more towards building, climbing and rough and tumble play. This continues at primary school where girls are encouraged to wear dresses for their uniforms and boys shorts or long pants. Boys are chastised if they cry and therefore learn to hold back their emotions. This could result in excess anger and frustration manifesting into aggression and possible labelling of the child (UNICEF, 2015).

Children do not pop out of the womb with ideas of gender roles, nor do they have any expectations about their future careers. It is of interest to many that the gender stereotypes and gender roles seen in toys marketed for children highly resembles those seen in adult life. At an early age, many children, especially those in the western world, have already developed ideas about careers and lifestyles suitable for boys or girls. It is obvious that these ideas can be learned through interactions with toys that are marketed by society. Through the analysis different toys, it is evident that toys are being used to reinforce social structures such as gender roles, male dominance and gender stereotypes to children, thus socializing them into gender social structures.

“A businessman is aggressive; a businesswoman is pushy. A businessman is good on details; she is picky. He follows through; she doesn’t know when to quit. He stands firm; she is hard. His judgements are her prejudices. He is a man of the world; she’s been around. He isn’t afraid to say what is on his mind; she is mouthy. He exercises authority diligently; she’s power mad. He’s closemouthed; she’s secretive. He climbed the ladder of success; she slept her way to the top.

Children can be easily influenced at an early age to acquire gender stereotypes by factors such as the individual’s environment, interactions with peers from school, authoritative figures such as parents and teachers, and the media. A United States study with ten-month-old children found that at this age could already detect gender-related categories (Levy and Haaf 1994). This is why it is essential for parents to be aware of the child’s environment and the type of parenting roles and skills that the child is able to observe everyday in a household. Case in point, according to the social learning theory (Bandura 1977), parents are role models for gender stereotypes through their own behaviors, occupations, and hobbies, implicitly influencing gender-stereotypical behaviors in their own children (McHale et al. 1999). The children may have a high possibility of imitating what the parents have