sex role stereotypes 2

• what is a Sex role stereotype

  A set of beliefs and preconceived ideas about what is expected or appropriate for different genders in a given society
• People from the same culture tend to have the same sex-role stereotypes
• Sex-role stereotypes are communicated through society and may be reinforced by parents, peers, the media etc.
• Some sex-role stereotypes may be based on truth, but many are not and can lead to prejudice and discrimination
• Research suggests that sex-role stereotyping leads to differing treatment of males and females which potentially leads to gender differences in behaviour
• There is research to support the view that sex-role stereotyping leads to differing treatment of males and females which potentially leads to gender differences in behaviour
• Condry and Condry's study


  • Sample of over 200 male and female adults from New York
  • Shown a videotape of the same nine-month-old baby
  • Baby introduced as 'David' (boy) or 'Dana' (girl)
  • Baby's appearance and dress neither markedly masculine nor feminine
  • Baby shown responding to various toys and stimuli
  • Adults asked to describe the emotion the baby displayed
• Baby labelled as 'David' (boy)

  Adults mostly labelled the baby's crying reaction to the jack-in-the-box as anger
• Baby labelled as 'Dana' (girl)

  Adults identified the same crying behaviour as fear
• The 'Baby X' study demonstrates the effect that sex-role stereotypes have on adult's treatment of children
• If sex-role stereotyping happens outside of the laboratory setting

  It could affect gender development because the prejudice and discrimination that often accompanies sex-role stereotypes can affect a child's self-concept/gender identity which could lead to gender differences in behaviour