CULTURE ON GENDER ROLES

• WHAT IS CULTURE?

  representation of attitudes, beliefs and customs distinguishing one group from another
• WHAT DOES CULTURE SUGGEST ABOUT GENDER ROLES?

  if similar across cultures, suggests gender roles are innate
• WHAT CAN GENDER ROLES BE INFLUENCED BY, CULTURE-WISE?

  if you live in an individualistic or collectivist culture
• WHO STUDIED THE EFFECT OF CULTURE ON GENDER ROLES?

  • Mead
  • Williams + Best
• MEAD?

  study of social groups in Papua New Guinea

  • ARAPESH: both males and females were senile, responsive and cooperative
  • MUNDUNGHOR: both males and females were violent, aggressive and aimed for power and position
  • TCHAMBULI: men were less responsible and emotionally dependent, whereas women were dominant, impersonal and managerial
• ISSUES WITH MEAD'S STUDY?

  • cultural bias
  • investigator bias
  • analysed tribes using own interpretation
  • imposed etic
• WILLIAMS AND BEST?

  • studied students in 30 countries
  • gave adjective checklist
  • where they had to state the gender they associate with each word
  • MEN: dominant, aggressive, autonomous
  • WOMEN: nurturing, interested in affiliation
  • suggests characteristics we associate are innate
• ISSUES WITH WILLIAMS AND BEST?

  • all cultures exposed to Western media
  • social approach argues universal gender stereotypes influenced by media not biology