culture

• Culture


  The rules, customs, morals, childrearing practices etc. that bind a group together
• The study of cultural influences on gender roles helps us to increase our understanding of the relative contributions of biology and socialisation (i.e. nature vs. nurture)
• If biology is the main factor in determining gender roles then we would expect to find similarities regardless of culture (universal behaviours)
• If socialisation is the main factor then we should observe different roles taken on by men and women according to culture
• Individualist cultures


  Importance is placed on the individual and achieving personal goals. Independence is valued.
• Collectivist cultures


  Importance is placed on the group, which strive to achieve shared goals and aspire to be dependent on each other.
• Traditional cultures


  A culture where there are clear differences in men's and women's roles and power.
• Egalitarian cultures


  A culture where gender roles are more flexible and equal.
• Males living in tight sedentary societies

  Have been found to have superior spatial-perceptual skills compared to those living in nomadic societies. There is a greater division of labour in sedentary societies (women stay at home and look after the children) and men are given practice from early childhood in skills related to hunting. This supports the idea that culture can have an effect on gender differences
• Although gender roles appear similar in most cultures, they are not similar in all cultures. Japanese men value being well rounded in the arts - a trait deemed feminine
• Wealthier societies (i.e. those with higher socioeconomic development) have smaller divisions between male and female gender roles i.e. greater gender role equality
• see key studies and evaluation
• Whiting and Edwards (1988):

  •Found that it was fairly universal across cultures that girls would be encouraged to take part in domestic and child-caring roles, whereas boys would be socialised into tasks involving different kinds of responsibility (e.g. looking after animals).