Gender stereotypes

Content of gender stereotypes

Development of Stereotypes

1. Gender schema theory: "The knowledge, beliefs and attitudes we have about gender" (Sinorelli& Fieze, 1989)

-- if we have these gender schemas and they are indeed responsible for stereotypes, then they will influence our ways of processing information about people

Memories

first impressions

learning ability

(Freedman & Lips, 1996)

-Reaction time studies: If a schema is in use, then it will take less time to react to information consistent with that schema

e.g., "there's really a number of ways to do it. Some people

can do it at home, others send out, others go out to do it.

Some will separate, some will do it together, but if you do

It that way, you might not like what you find afterward."

Specific H_o: exposed to feminine information, Gender schematic women should...

Exposed to Masculine information, they should...

Method:

exposed to words like "Emotional", "Dominant"

Exposed to careers like "Ballet Dancer", "accountant"

Are these traits/careers self-descriptive? Yes/No

DV: time to hit the button

Results: Women "said Yes" to feminine words, careers more quickly than masculine and neutral ones.

Social Role theory: we learn to expect particular roles belong to a particular gender

e.g., Rubin, Povenzano, Luria, 1974

• 24 hr male babies judged as "firmer", "stronger" "hardier" than females babies

e.g., Philips & Gilroy, 1985

• doctors and psychologists asked how the "healthy adult", "healthy female", "healthy male" is characterized

Stereotypes influencing prejudice & behaviour

1. Prejudice: a. "women are less able"

e.g., Goldberg, 1968

b. "when women succeed, its cuz they're lucky"

e.g., Deaux & Emswiller, 1974

c. "women fail, it's cuz they're not able"

e.g., Hansen & O'Leary, 1985-Attributions for failure

2. Behavior (Discrimination)

-Others' b^r

e.g., Lott, 1987

Our own

• jobs we select (pink collar work force)

e.g., Skypnek & Snyder, 1982

 

What subjects thought	What was happening
1. men would be working with man or woman	1. men working with women only
(without seeing each other)
"20 yr old male sophmore independent,competitive,  ambitious"	Men hearing gender stereotypes about males
or "20 yr old female sophmore, shy, gentle, soft-spoken	men hearing gender stereotypes about females
2. then told: "Negotiate with your partner "feminine" or "masculine" task which task each of you should do"

Results:
When thought they were working with men, their female partners selected masculine task

When thought they were working with women, their female partners selected female task

So, perhaps tasks/jobs are chosen on the basis of how people expect us to act?

• how we think of ourselves(self-fulfilling prophecy)

e.g., Zanna & Pack, 1975