Gender Communication Chapter 1 Gender Communication and Culture Research Methods Quantitative Research Methods social Sciences o Counting Numerical statistics o Hard science o Breadth can map patterns Qualitative Research Methods Humanities o Understanding meaning o Depth o Ethnography immerse yourself in a culture Critical Research Methods humanities o Assess good and bad o Come to the table with an agenda challenge power imbalances in social life Mixed Research Methods o Two methods or more Reasons to Study Appreciate cultural complexities Insight to your own gender Become a better communicator Gender in a Transitional Era Feeling conflicted One level o Men Women Two levels o May hold traditional values and beliefs Essentializing the tendency to reduce something or someone to characteristics are essential in every member of category o Assumes all member of the sex are alike o Negates range of characteristics Sex anatomy of a person Physical Gender Mental Chromosomes Female XX Male XY Variations XO XXX XXY XYY Sexual development is influenced by hormones Some born with biological features of both sex o Greek Hermaphrodites o Today Intersex Sex Gender Gender is learned from infancy o Learn to act masculine and or feminine Gender grows out of cultural ideas stipulating meaning and expectation of each sex Expressed by individuals as they interact with others and media US Culture Gender o Masculinity strong ambitious successful o Femininity physically attractive nurturing o Other cultures more than 2 genders gender is changeable Gender Changes over time a given culture o Ex 1 in the 50s fuller figure women now thinness o Ex 2 Before and after industrial revolution Gender changes over life span of an individual o Being Masculine at 10 vs being masculine at 21 At 10 masculine is playing outside at 21 it s having a job Conventional views of sex and gender challenged by different gendered indentities and expressions o Transgender Have the body of one sex but identifies fully as a the other o Trans o Queer o Gender queer umbrella term some days are male some days female some days neither Beyond Sex and Gender o Sex o Gender o Sexual Orientation We assume connections for these categories o Ex Male masculine heterosexual are linked o Not always the case Sexual orientation pref for romantic and sexual partners o Heterosexual gay lesbian bisexual CIS cis gender cis man cis women o Same o Prefix person who fits conventional categories Trans o Prefix cross from gender identity assigned at birth o Transgender biological sex inconsistent with identity o Transsexual surgery and or hormonal treatment to make bodies match identity o MTF post transition male to female o FTM post transition female to make o Sexual orientation does not have to change after transition Cross dressers transvestites o Enjoy wearing the clothing of other sex o Variety motivations o Majority biological heterosexual males attracted to women Culture o Structure and practices that reflect and uphold social order Culture defines grouped values expectations meanings What is good or bad Right or wrong o Communication practice that communicates social views of gender Persuading us that these views are natural o Structure uphold gender ideology Judicial system women as primary caretakers Patriarchy ruled by fathers Communication o 1 Communication is a dynamic process It continually changes No definite beginning or ending o Communication is systemic Importance of context Comm embedded in a particular situation or systems Largest system affecting comm Is culture Different systems interact o 3 Communication has two levels of meaning Content level of meaning Literal meaning Relationship level of meaning Tell how to interpret content and how communication see themselves in relationship Important to understand gendered patterns of comm Symbol abstract arbitrary ambiguous ways of representing phenomena Humans symbol using creatures We have to think to figure out what a symbol means Symbols can have more than one meaning Theoretical approaches to gender Theory o Describe explain predict relationships Practical shape how we act and expect others to act o In everyday life theories used to make sense of behaviors o Theories about sex and gender affect thoughts and behaviors 4 types of Gender theories o Biological explains gender differences Sex chromosomes X Intelligence hereditary conditions sociability Y Egg evolving into mail Males more prone to hereditary conditions because Y chromosome not corrected by a second Y Hormonal activity Estrogen primary female o Good cholesterol flexibility of blood vessels strengthening of immune systems Testosterone Primary Male o Drug use violent behavior peak level of testosterone o Men s hormonal change more gradual than women starting around 30 Hormones influence skills and tendencies o Girls favor trucks if mother had high levels of testosterone during pregnancy Brain Structure and development Each sex specializes in one side of the brain Men Better developed left lobes o Linear thinking sequential info spatial skills abstract analytical reasoning Women Better developed right lobes o Imaginative artistic holistic intuitive thinking visual and spatial tasks First relationships influence gender identity Mother acts differently towards sons and daughters o Infant follows distinct path that reflect relationship with mother Fundamental likeness between mother and daughter o Interact more with daughters o Keeps daughters closer o More nurturing Fully identification between mothers and son less likely o Encourages more independence o Talks less about emotional matters To establish identity boy differentiates himself from mother Identity is not static o Grows and changes as we interacts o As infants mature carry with them basic identity formed in first relationship Social Learning Theory Behaviors that are rewarded reinforced Behaviors that are punished or seen as neutral rejected o Interpersonal Psychodynamic Theory Social world including media amplifies personal inclinations Views children as passive in the process Suggests reinforcement process continues through lifetime Cognitive development theory Children play active role in developing gender identity Pick models to teach themselves competency in masculine or feminine behavior Models also in advertising the media Gender constancy person s understanding that he she is a male female and it won t change Once gender is assigned children work to be competent