SOC 302 1st Edition Lecture 12 What is Gender- Sexo Biological distinguishing males and females- Gendero Social norms and expectations that define behaviors as appropriate for men and women\ Socially formed traits of masculinity and femininityTheories of Gender- Biological- Social and psychologicalo Gender socializationo Structural functionalismo Social constructiono Gender stratificationo Intersectionality Biological Approach- Gender differences in behavior are affected by biological factors, including genetics, hormones, and brain physiology- For exampleo Testosterone is liked to aggression and risk-takingo Estrogen may protect women against heart disease by reducing levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein)o In contrast, testosterone increases low density lipoproteinSocial and Psychological Theories- Biological factors are not sufficient to explain behavior because physiological processes are inextricable from social contexts and norms- Gender differences in behavior reflect social and cultural forces more than biological endowmentsGender Socialization- Learning of gender roles though family, schools, peers, media, and everyday life- During socialization children internalize social norms and expectations corresponding to their sex- Children are guided by positive and negative sanction to reward or restrain certain behaviors- For Exampleo Positive sanctions for complying with masculinity “What a brave boy you are”o Negative sanctions for violating these expectations “Boys don’t play with dolls what are you, a sissy?”Structural Functionalism- Talcott Parson- Socializing agents help maintain the continuation of the existing social order by overseeing gender socialization of new generations- Stable, supportive families are the key to successful socialization- Families operate most efficiently with a clear-cut division of laboro Women carry out expressive roles (providing comfort, care, and emotional support for children and husbands)o Men carry out instrumental roles (most importantly, breadwinning)Social Construction: Doing Gender- Gender is more than learning to act like a girl or boy- We all “do gender” in our daily interactions with others (West and Zimmerman, 1987)o Recall impression management- In every interaction, we present ourselves as male or female through behaviors, fashion, hairstyle, tone of voice, and countless other means- This process of “doing gender” underscores how gender is “socially constructed” in interaction- A social constructionist perspective to gender suggest that gender is not what people are, but what they doDoing Gender- Norah Vincent “Self-Made Men. One Woman’s Year Disguised as a Man”o Reveals how gender is performed in everyday lifeo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ip7kP_ddgLUSocial construction of Masculinity- Men in the United States suffer more sever chronic conditions, have higher death rates, and die younger than women- Men’s life expectancy 76- Women’s life expectancy 81