Sociology Chapter Ten NotesWhat is the difference between gender and sex?- Gender: the behavioral, cultural, and psychological traits associated with being male or female- Sex: refers strictly to the biological makeup of males and females including reproductive organs and bodily structuresThe role of biology- Field of sociobiology- Not nature versus nurture, but nature and nurture- Cross-cultural and historical differences between men and women are too great for nature aloneto explain behaviorGender Socialization- The learning of gender roles through factors such as schooling, the media and family- Nature and nurtureGender Construction- Social construction- The learning of gender roles through socialization and interaction with others- Essentialism- There is an essential biological difference between men and womenGender Identity in everyday life- Everything is involved when we “do gender”, from our actions to our clothing mannerisms, speech, and body language- Society functions is a more orderly manner when gender is clearly markedGender inequality- The inequality between men and women in terms of wealth, income and statusSexism- The belief that one sex is superior to the otherPatriarchy- Dominance of men over womenWomen and the Workplace- In 1910, women who worked were young, single, poor, immigrants or ethnic minorities- In 1978, 14% of married women with pre-school aged children worked full time compared to 63.5% in 2007- Gender typing- Women holding occupations of lower status and pay, such as secretarial and retail positions and men holding jobs of higher status and pay, such as managerial and professional positionsGender Pay Gap- Sex segregation- The concentration of men and women in different occupations- Jobs dominated by men are paid more than jobs dominated by women- 1963 Equal Pay Act- Same job, same pay- Wall Street- Extreme example: both men and women work on Wall Street- Extremely competitive- Endless workday- You live to work- Women were getting paid SUBSTANTIALLY less than the men- What is the problem?- Motherhood penalty- “Mothers may earn less than other women because having children causes them to (1) lose job experience, (2) be less productive at work, (3) trade off higher wages for mother-friendly jobs, or(4) be discriminated against by employers”- The “mommy track”- Human capital theory- Argument that individuals make investments in their own “human capital” in order to increase their productivity and earnings- The glass ceiling- A promotional barrier that prevents a woman’s upward mobility within an organization- The glass escalator- Men move up to higher positions in female-dominated occupations in disproportionately higher numbersSex-Role Spillover- What is it?- Think about ordinary household chores and childcare. How do we usually divide these roles among men and women?- How might gender roles infiltrate the work world?What are gender roles?- Behavioral norms- Expectations- Stereotypes- Based on division of labor- What tasks are associated with women?- What tasks are associated with men?- Are we born with these differences?Sexual Harassment- The making of unwanted sexual advances by one individual toward another, in which the first person persists even though it is clear that the other party is resistant- Quid pro quo- Hostile work environmentFamily and Gender Issues- Balancing work and child care- Working mothers are paid less- Working mothers (not working fathers) are seen as primarily responsible for children- Housework- 1960s: women- 32 hrs/week, men- 4 hrs/week- 2000: women- 19 hrs/week, men- 10 hrs/week- Arlie Hochschild and the “second shift”Education and unequal treatment in the classroom- Children are taught gender roles through games, activities and storybooks- Teachers interact with boys and girls differentlyGender Inequality in Politics- Women are underrepresented in all levels of government- 2010- 17 out of 10 US senators were women and 76 of the 435 US House members- There are more women involved in local politics than in national politics- The democratic party has the highest number of women politiciansFunctionalist Approaches- Men and women specialize in different tasks to achieve social solidarity and integration- George Murdock- Sexual division of labor is the most logical and efficient way to organize societyFeminist Theory- Sociological theory that emphasizes the centrality of gender in analyzing the social world and particularly the uniqueness of the experience of women- Liberal feminism- Believes that gender inequality is produced by unequal access to civil rights and certain social resources such as education and employment, based on sex- Seeks solutions through registration- Radical Feminism- Believes that gender inequality is the result of male domination in all aspects of social and economic life- End inequality by overthrowing patriarchy- Focus on violence against women and control over women’s bodies- Black Feminism- A strand of feminist theory that highlights the multiple disadvantages of gender, class and race that shape the experiences of non-white women- Gender inequality requires racial and class equality- Postmodern Feminism- Feminist perspective that challenges the idea of a unitary basis of identity and experience sharedby all women- Celebrates the “otherness” of different groups and individuals- There is no overarching solution to gender