sex and gender

• sex


  biological term, refers to biological differences between males and females, based on anatomy, physiology, hormones and brain chemistry
• gender


  social and cultural aspects associated with males and females behaviour, personality traits and attitudes, these can change over time and between cultures
• sex role stereotypes


  beliefs and preconceived ideas about what is expected and acceptable behaviour in males and females, we are born male/female but stereotypes pressure us to conform to masculine/feminine qualities
• male stereotypes


  athletic, aggressive, breadwinner
• female stereotypes


  cooking, caring, emotional
• creation of sex role stereotypes


  childhood socialisation, schemas and social learning theory
• negative implication of stereotypes


  discrimination in work place, men's mental health
• medical treatment differences

  women dismissed/males prioritised, women are less likely to receive necessary help in public (cardiac arrest), women are not taken seriously
• research support - archer and lloyd


  3y/o who played with opposite sex games were ridiculed by peers, shows that stereotypes are influenced from and early age, however study is outdated, roles of women have changed, lacks temporal validity
• Urberg


  told children age 3-7 stories stressing sex role stereotypes without specifying gender, asked to state gender, responses favour sex role stereotypes, older children show increased tendency to see characteristics of both male and female
• stereotypes limitation


  led to discrimination, in healthcare for both males and females, restricted opportunities for groups within society
• stereotypes evaluation


  stereotyping has decreased, people are more open minded, more gender neutral society, suggests concept is outdated, less influence
• androgyny 


  individual shows both male and female characteristics simultaneously
• Bem sex role inventory


  measure androgyny, 20 masculine, 20 feminine, 20 neutral, results influence 'label'
• research support - rose and montemayor


  25-30% US high school students defined themselves as androgynous, more females than males, sex roles are less rigid in older children
• BSRI strength


  test-retest reliability, questionnaire, can be repeated, similar results found, results more accurate, more reliable
• BSRI limitation


  lack temporal and cultural validity, 1970, America, based on Western ideas and stereotypes, may not represent wider world and today's society
• BSRI limitation


  over-simplistic, masculinity/femininity are more complex than what Bem proposed, aren't able to apply to people in real world, reductionist