Gender Differences
Nov 26
Gender Differences Sex: -
Biological definition
-
XX chromosomes & extrogen for female
-
XY chromosomes & testosterone for males
Gender: -
Social construct
-
Based in part on definitions of femininity & masculinity
-
Norms & expectations encouraging "sex-appropriate" behavior
Gender Identity -
Perception of oneself as male or female
Gender Order: -
Macro-level concept -- social structure
-
Includes: gendered norms, roles & ideology
-
Together make social life gendered
-
Direction how males and females SHOULD act
Gender Advertisements (1976) - Erving Goffman -
1970s: 2nd wave feminism
Goffman -
In social or public situations, even most minute behaviors have meanings
-
Gesture - expression - posture
-
o
Revel not only how we feel about ourselves
o
Entire arrangement -- a scene embodies cultural values
What human nature of males & females really consists of: o
Capacity to learn to provide & read depictions of masculinity & femininity
o
Willingness to adhere to schedule for presenting these pictures
o
Have capacity by being persons - not gendered persons
This is because we are always being socialized -- we are socialized into gende r
"One might say there is no gender identity, only a schedule for the portayal of gender." - Goffman
Advertisements -
"We are socialized to confirm our own hypotheses about our natures."
-
"Advertisements depict for us not necessarily how we actually behave as men and women but how we think men and women behave." (this quote has been on exams before)
Job of Advertiser & Society the same -
-
Both use limited "visual" resources available to tell a story o
"Here is what it means to be a woman and here is what it means to be a man"
o
i.e. Pink for Barbies, blue for toy cars
"Both must transform otherwise opaque goings-on into easily readable form."
Uniqueness of Goffman's ad analysis -
-
Instead of looking at clutched detergents & half naked bodies, Goffman examines: o
Hands, eyes, knees
o
Facial expressions, head postures, relative sizes of men & women
o
Positioning and placement in ad
o
Head-eye aversion, finger biting & sucking
"Although the pictures shown here cannot be taken as representative of gender behavior in real life... one can probably make a significant negative statement about them, namely, that as pictures they are not perceived as peculiar and unnatural." o
Quote often on exams
- "The presentation of a scene that is meaningful, whose meaning can be read at a flash." End of Session
Gender Differences Sex: -
Biological definition
-
XX chromosomes & extrogen for female
-
XY chromosomes & testosterone for males
Gender: -
Social construct
-
Based in part on definitions of femininity & masculinity
-
Norms & expectations encouraging "sex-appropriate" behavior
Gender Identity -
Perception of oneself as male or female
Gender Order: -
Macro-level concept -- social structure
-
Includes: gendered norms, roles & ideology
-
Together make social life gendered
-
Direction how males and females SHOULD act
Gender Advertisements (1976) - Erving Goffman -
1970s: 2nd wave feminism
Goffman -
In social or public situations, even most minute behaviors have meanings
-
Gesture - expression - posture
-
o
Revel not only how we feel about ourselves
o
Entire arrangement -- a scene embodies cultural values
What human nature of males & females really consists of: o
Capacity to learn to provide & read depictions of masculinity & femininity
o
Willingness to adhere to schedule for presenting these pictures
o
Have capacity by being persons - not gendered persons
This is because we are always being socialized -- we are socialized into gende r
"One might say there is no gender identity, only a schedule for the portayal of gender." - Goffman
Advertisements -
"We are socialized to confirm our own hypotheses about our natures."
-
"Advertisements depict for us not necessarily how we actually behave as men and women but how we think men and women behave." (this quote has been on exams before)
Job of Advertiser & Society the same -
-
Both use limited "visual" resources available to tell a story o
"Here is what it means to be a woman and here is what it means to be a man"
o
i.e. Pink for Barbies, blue for toy cars
"Both must transform otherwise opaque goings-on into easily readable form."
Uniqueness of Goffman's ad analysis -
-
Instead of looking at clutched detergents & half naked bodies, Goffman examines: o
Hands, eyes, knees
o
Facial expressions, head postures, relative sizes of men & women
o
Positioning and placement in ad
o
Head-eye aversion, finger biting & sucking
"Although the pictures shown here cannot be taken as representative of gender behavior in real life... one can probably make a significant negative statement about them, namely, that as pictures they are not perceived as peculiar and unnatural." o
Quote often on exams
- "The presentation of a scene that is meaningful, whose meaning can be read at a flash." End of Session
