Qestion: By this point in the course, you have explored theories that attempt to explain how and to what degree gender is socially constructed. This does not mean, however, that the socialization processes are the same for everyone or even that gender is defined similarly across groups. Just as conceptualizations of gender have changed over time, they are also different across cultures. Cultures range from patriarchal (e.g., Saudi Arabian culture) to matriarchal (e.g., the Akan of Ghana) and place differing importance on the roles of family, religion, education, and career for males and females. Different behaviors, aspects of appearance, and communication styles are also considered gender typical for males and females across cultures. Even the language spoken within a culture can influence gender socialization. For example, some languages (e.g., Spanish, Italian, Hindi) assign either male or female gender to nouns.
For this Discussion, you will examine gender socialization practices and agents in cultures other than your own. While you are conducting research, keep in mind that the literature reports trends and common practices but cannot account for individual differences in gender socialization within a culture. Keep an open mind but be sensitive and avoid stereotyping as much as possible.
To prepare
• Review this week's Learning Resources, considering socialization agents that influence gender development and how these may differ across cultures.
• Select a culture to research for this Discussion. This should be a cultural group to which you yourself do not belong.
• Locate information about gender socialization practices and agents within this culture using the Walden Library and reputable academic sources on the Internet.
Post a brief description of the culture you selected. Then identify three significant gender socialization practices or agents in this culture. Explain how these practices and agents influence gender role development in the respective cultures. Be specific and provide examples.
READINGS FOR THIS WEEK ASSIGNMENT AND INCORPORATE AT LEAST OF THE READINGS INTO ANSWER.
Helgeson, V. S. (2017). Psychology of gender (5th ed.). New York, NY: Taylor and Francis.
Chapter 3, "Gender-Role Attitudes" (pp. 76-115)
Herring, S. C., & Kapidzic, S. (2015). Teens, gender, and self-presentation in social media. In Wright, J. D. (Ed.), International encyclopedia of social and behavioral sciences (pp. 146-152). Oxford, UK: Elsevier.
Wright, J. D. (Ed.) (2015). International Encyclopedia of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Copyright 2015 by Elsevier Science & Technology. Reprinted by permission of Elsevier Science & Technology via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Oberst, U., Renau, V., Chamarro, A., & Carbonell, X. (2016). Gender stereotypes in Facebook profiles: Are women more female online? Computers in Human Behavior, 60, 559-564. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.02.085
Note: You will access this article from the Walden Library databases.
Required Media: TED Conferences, LLC. (2013). Magdalene and Naema: Bridging the gender digital divide [Video file].