Media and gender roles

• ao1: same-sex media role models preferred

  • Children are most likely to imitate role models who are the same sex as they are and who are engaging in gender- appropriate behaviour.
  • This maximises the chance of gender-appropriate behaviours being reinforced
• ao1: the media creates rigid gender stereotypes

  • Bussey and Bandura (1999) found that the media provides rigid gender stereotypes, for example:
  • Men are independent, ambitious and advice-givers
  • Women are dependent, unambitious and advice-seekers
  • Furnham and Farragher (2000) found that men were more likely to be shown in autonomous roles within professional contexts, whereas women were often seen occupying familial roles within domestic settings
• ao1: the media increases self-efficacy

  • Seeing other people perform gender-appropriate behaviours increases a child's belief that they are capable of such behaviours (= self-efficacy).
  • Mitra et al. (2019) found girls in India who watched a programme challenging gender stereotypes were more likely to see themselves as capable of working outside the home than non-viewers.
• ao3: One strength of media influence is that it has a theoretical basis.

  • The more time individuals spend 'living' in the media world, the more they believe it reflects the social reality of the 'outside' world (cultivation theory).
  • Bond and Drogos (2014) found a positive correlation between time spent watching Jersey Shore and permissive attitudes towards casual sex (other factors controlled.
  • This suggests the media 'cultivates' perception of reality and this affects gender behaviour (eg. sexual behaviour).
• ao3: One limitation is there may not be a causal relationship.

  • Durkin (1985) argues that even very young children are not passive recipients of media messages, family norms are a bigger influence.
  • If media representations confirm gender roles held by the family, norms are reinforced in a child's mind. If not, then they are likely to be rejected.
  • This suggests that media influences are secondary to other influences, such as family.