By: Hannah Harris and Sarah Shadi

Sex “either the male or female division of a species, especially as differentiated with reference to the reproductive functions” ( Gender The concept of maleness or femaleness that is basic to all social interactions. Includes: Physical characteristics Social behaviors Characteristic self-image Psychological tendencies Behavioral tendencies Abilities that allow us to differentiate between men and women

Gender Roles The behaviors of an individual based on their part as a social actor Includes patterns of behavior approved by society based on an individual’s sex “While sex is ascribed at birth, gender is achieved and accepted through successful accomplishment of developmental tasks.” (

Why is this so funny? What does it say about stereotypes and gender roles?

Most truckers are male and most nurses are female We refer to women as cooks and men as chefs The primary caregiving usually falls to women Men make more money than women for the same work Men are prone to aggressive, assertive, inexpressive actions while women are prone to passive, expressive ones Can you name some other common stereotypes? Think Disney Movies…

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GUT REACTIONS? Do you see a problem here?

History Throughout history there have been times when women were said to be better than men. At other times men were said to be better than women. Both are wrong. Research’s Emphasis on Difference The idea that because we are not looking for similarities, we will not find similarities. The Allure of Oversimplification Complexity is hard while simplicity is easy. So, we categorize and make judgments based on that categorization.

Biology Argument We are predetermined to behave in appropriate fashion. Relies on the following concepts: Musculature: women are physically weaker than men Brain function: women are more verbal whereas men are more oriented to actions Style: women are more diplomatic while men are more direct Affection: women are more nurturing while men are more instrumental/task oriented Culture Argument We learn gender appropriate behaviors from those around us. Conventional wisdoms: Women are weak because they consistently did not perform tasks as physically demanding as men Women are verbal and scheming because men have afforded themselves the social, political and economic resources Women have to align themselves with a powerful man to achieve Women are nurturing because they have been delegated nurturing responsibilities.

Typical Stressors on Men and Women Typical Coping Strategies Typical Patterns of Psychopathology

Typical Stressors Not meeting the expectations for superior physical strength, intellect, or sexual performance

Typical Coping Strategies Putting on the “tough guy” image Keeping their feelings inside Releasing stress through activities Ex: Sports Actively attempting to solve the problem Denial Abusing drugs or alcohol or any other form of attempting to control the problem

Typical Patterns of Psychopathology Externalizing Disorders: Negative outward behavior as opposed to internal negative emotions Substance Abuse Hallucinations, blackouts, physical dependency, job loss, divorce, arrests, organ and brain damage, financial debt Antisocial Behavior Impaired interpersonal relationships

Do you agree or disagree? Think back to last week’s articles…

Typical Stressors Being expected to meet the demands of a number of roles at the same time leads to stressful prioritizing. These roles include: wife, mother, homemaker, employee and/or caregiver for elderly parents Women are frequently given jobs with less autonomy and/or creativity which leads to decreased job satisfaction. Caring for others and forming meaningful relationships becomes stressful when that person is not doing well physically and/or emotionally. Victimization, Assertiveness and Physical unattractiveness

Typical Coping Strategies Seeking social support Expressing feelings Finding distractions Examples: praying, worrying, venting, getting advice, doing things not related to the problem

Typical Patterns of Psychopathology Internalizing disorders: negative inner emotions as opposed to outward negative behavior Depression Anxiety Symptoms seen may include: Sadness Sense of loss, helplessness, hopelessness Doubt about one’s ability to handle problems, high levels of worry or nervousness Poor self-esteem Guilt, self-reproach and self-blame Decreased energy, motivation, interest in life or concentration Problems with sleep or appetite

Does it bother you that this is how children view gender roles? Think about our previous discussion about Disney movies…

“Traditional male and female behavior in American culture is not traditional in other cultures, showing us that “feminine” and “masculine” behaviors are culturally affected” (

Europe - convention-defines-gender-as-social-construct/ convention-defines-gender-as-social-construct/ Middle East Africa – Asia - cnt.aspx?id= &cid=1103http:// cnt.aspx?id= &cid=1103 What do you know about gender roles across different cultures? What do you still have to learn?