Gender Socialisation 5

• Gender socialisation

  Learning socially approved behaviours, gender norms, values & attitudes that are associated with a biological sex.

  Children observe & imitate what is modelled to them.

  Based on social learning theory - we learn gender specific behaviours from our same sex parent.
• Lack of male role models

  Men were typically at work so mothers did most of the childcare.

  Boys being socialised by their mothers tend to rebel against feminine behaviours in search of masculine influence.

  Seek masculinity in peer groups which promote aggression, risk taking, etc.
• Oakley (1972)

  ‘The dividing line between what is masculine and what is criminal may at times be a thin one.’
• Sex role theory

  Boys and girls are socialised differently, meaning that boys are more likely to become criminals than girls.
• Sutherland

  Girls are socialised in a more supervised & controlled manner, limiting the opportunities to be deviant. In contrast, boys are socialised to be rougher, tougher and aggressive which increases the chances of deviance.
• Parsons & Bales

  Women carry out the expressive role. Girls grow up to internalise these values of being caring and empathetic both of which reduce the likelihood of someone committing a crime.
• Chivalry thesis

  Women don’t commit less crime but are treated less harshly when they do.
• Carlen (1997)

  Women perceived as good mothers were less likely to be imprisoned than a mother with children in care.
• Crime & gender roles

  Men overstep their gender expectations when committing a crime. Women break their expected gender role.
• Strengths of gender socialisation theory

  Practical applications - man up project, change socialisation of boys, better role models, what it means to be masculine.
• Weaknesses of gender socialisation theory

  Difficult to explain why women commit crime

  Determinism - self fulfilling prophecy

  Ignores nature (women have more oestrogen / oxytocin -> more caring)
• Applying methods of modifying to gender socialisation theory

  Man up project

  Challenge negative stereotypes, attitudes & behaviours experienced by men as a result of wanting to meet masculine expectations.

  Promote more ‘feminine‘ strategies for conflict management - non aggressive behaviour