Essay about Socialization and the Learning of Gender Roles

The term socialization refers to the â€Å"lifelong social experience by which individuals develop their human potential and learn culture.† [Macionis et al. p 55] The concept of socialization is that our actions are driven/learned by culture. Socialization is also the foundation of personality, which we build by internalizing our surroundings. Through the lifelong process of socialization, society transmits culture from one generation to the next. A good example of socialization is the learning of gender roles. Anthropologist Margaret Mead reasoned that if gender reflects biological facts of sex, that people everywhere in the world would define the same traits as masculine or feminine. However, she argued, that if gender is cultural, such†¦show more content†¦In a global perspective, including all cultures, only certain tasks were defined as strictly masculine or feminine by all societies. From such research, we can see that â€Å"†¦gender is simply too variable across cultures to be considered a simple expression of biology. Instead †¦ what it means to be male and female is mostly a creation of society.† [Macionis et al. p233] Socialization is a lifelong process beginning at birth, as is the learning of gender roles. â€Å"Just as gender affects how we think of ourselves, so it teaches us to act in normative ways.† [Macionis et al. p236] The learning of gender roles begins in the family and is carried out in peer groups and educational institutions as well as in the media. Sociologist Jessie Bernard stated that very soon after birth, family members push infants into what she labels as the â€Å"pink world† of the girls, and the â€Å"blue world† of the boys. Parents, she stated, do this unconsciously by the way in which they act themselves, and by the way in which they handle their child. A study was done with many women who were given a baby dressed as either a boy or as a girl. It was noted that the women handled the child dresses as a girl in an affectionate manner, holding them tenderly and giving them ample amounts of hugs and kisses. However, the women handled the childShow MoreRelatedGender Socialization Is The Process Of Learning Gender Roles And Expectations1177 Words   |  5 Pagestradition of gender socialization that facilitates prejudicial practices within the work environment. Gender socialization is the process of learning gender roles and expectations. It is what determines which things are considered masculine or feminine. This process tends to reinforce traditional gender ideologies. The cult of domesticity, or the idea that a woman’s place is in the home taking care of children while the man works, is one prominent expression of traditional gender roles. During childhoodRead MoreHow Socialization Is Defined As The Process Of Learning And Internalizing The Values, And Gender Roles Essay1415 Words   |  6 PagesSocialization is defined as the process of learning and internalizing the values, beliefs, and norms of our own social group. As a result of socialization, one then becomes a functioning member of society. Family is one of the groups that provide structured situations where socialization occurs. Family is the main agent of socialization where language, values, and gender roles are first learned. The Census Bureau defines family as two o r more individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption livingRead MoreThe Dynamics Of Gender Formation1034 Words   |  5 Pages The Dynamics of Gender Formation Although some people believe that the sex role theory or the socialization model of gender as a process, in which we absorb instructions prescribed by the social institutions to act in the acceptable way to our biological sex, is a trivial issue, it is in fact crucial in terms of today’s concern over the gender formation. This significance is accurately noticed by Raewyn Connell, a renown sociologist who proclaimed her views in the essay â€Å"Gender in Personal Life†Read MoreGender Differences Within Social Development1747 Words   |  7 Pagesreader of the gender differences through social development. Depending on a child’s gender, things such as gender identity and social acceptance have a great impact in their development. The first thing parents learned about their children before birth is the sex of the baby. This highlights the importance of sex and gender. Sex differences have long been a very important topic in psychology and in understanding why g ender differences affect social development. Social learning theory helps toRead MoreEffects Of Socialization1676 Words   |  7 PagesSocialization is defined as the â€Å"process by which individuals acquire thoughts, feelings, and behaviors â€Å"appropriate† to their positions in society,† (Rohall 149). Individuals experience socialization beginning the day they are born, and throughout most of their lives. It can occur through everyday observation and interaction at every stage of development, or it can occur more formally though education and mentors. Socialization is important to how individuals interact in society and it also playsRead MoreSingle Sex Education Essay700 Words   |  3 Pagespsychological studies this is not the case. There is little difference between boys and girls in terms of ways they learn, and their neurodevelopment. Separating children also does not allow for socialization between different genders. This conflicts with childrenâ€℠¢s social skills and exposure to the opposite gender which makes sexism is more drastic in environments where girls are separated from boys. Single-sex education is a practice that many people believe improves schooling but, it is not provenRead MoreGender Roles : Social Learning Theory And Sex Segregation1190 Words   |  5 PagesGender roles play a huge part in society. Gender plays a role in shaping an individuals identify and beliefs. It also helps identify what is masculine and what is feminine. Certain tasks, duties, and jobs are classified by gender. However, gender appropriate behavior should not be enforced in our society for numerous reasons and can be seen on an individual level and be demonstrated by social learning theory and sex segregation. Within and across different cultures, we can find great consistencyRead MoreGender Socialization Of Children : Gendered Toys, Media, And Parental Affects Child Development1289 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Gender role expectations are inescapable in our society as we naturally tend to sort humans into categories, the easiest one being gender. Upon first meeting a person, most people automatically classify the other’s gender. With this classification come the inevitable gender role expectations. Even for those who consciously try their hardest not to cloud their perceptions of others based on â€Å"traditional† gender role expectations, it is almost impossible not to subconsciously succumb to theseRead MoreGender Socialization : The Real World1442 Words   |  6 PagesGender Socialization When someone is pregnant, people will usually ask for the sex of the unborn child thus proving that people are socially categorized from the beginning of life and is something that is continued throughout life. One is expected to behave the way their assigned gender is supposed to behave. Gender socialization is when people are expected to act a certain way based on their â€Å"gender†. Through the following agents: family, schools, peers, and media, gender socialization is emphasizedRead MoreDo Schools and Mass Media Contribute to Stereotyped Gender Roles in Chinese Society?1586 Words   |  6 PagesGender role is defined as the social position and behavioral norm that is considered appropriate for an individual of a specific gender in the society (Liu, 2003). Every society has its unique culture and gender role is one of the products of a society’s history and culture. It is not set up by a single person within a short period, but by countless people in the society for thousands years. Parents started to shape their children’s gender by dressing and naming them according to their gender soon