Gender Identity - Social Studies Essay
EssayChat / May 26, 2017
Introduction
Gender identity is a characteristic that people generally see as being either internal or external. From an external perspective, gender roles are learned behaviors that are passed down through family, educational, religious and media structures in society. These roles determine how people should behave. This report looks at gender identity from a social constructionist point of view. In the argument of nature vs. nurture, this point of view is based in nurture. Similarly, during the mid-20th century, when the theories of Sigmund Freud were very popular, people explained gender identity and sex roles using the ideas of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, both of which were primarily focused on nurture. That is, these theories stated that environment, to a large extent, determined behavior and personality.
Analysis
Gender identity is similar to a set of scripts that are handed down to determine behaviors. These behaviors are labeled as natural or coming from God, but in reality, they are functions of societal conditioning. "Gender ideologies rigidly script identities and differences according to natural or God-given distinctions, these cultural scripts of difference remain vulnerable to contradictions from within" (Campbell and Kean, 2011, p. 272). Most researchers today recognize that a child's gender identity is impacted by both environmental and genetic influences. Of the two, however, environment is arguably more influential, from a social learning theory perspective that sees influence as externalized.
Social learning theory, in terms of background, concentrates on factors of reinforced learning. The sources of support or reinforcement in this sort of learning are put forth by the the status quo or expectations that people have about being in a civil society and living with others. Thus, children are taught by their parents, peers, and teachers to conform to certain expected behaviors when it comes to gender and role expression. For example, during the first few weeks of school, a male child may want to wear a dress and their mom's shoes to school, but after a few weeks, the child learns that all of the other male students are wearing boys' clothes, and one day comes to school with boys' clothes too, reinforcing the sense of his social belongingness. In the same way, from this perspective, gender identity is made up of these moves made during childhood towards social cohesion and bonding with rituals handed down and copied as the child learns socially. Unfortunately, these roles are not only different but also unequal. "A characteristic, whether nominal or graduated, has status value when consensual cultural beliefs indicate that persons who have one state of the characteristic (e.g., whites or males) are more worthy in the society than those with another state of the characteristic" (Ridgeway, 1991, p. 368).
In addition to the abovementioned social component, gender identity is also determined biologically and genetically. The body, during late childhood and into adolescence, begins producing hormones; androgens in males, and estrogens in females. These hormones also play a role in gender identity, and arguably, this role is very influential. However, from the perspective of social learning theory, nurture is favored over nature, in terms of explanation. From this point of view, learning is reinforced by others in society. "Gender signs and signals are so ubiquitous that we usually fail to note them-unless they are missing or ambiguous. Then we are uncomfortable until we have successfully placed the other person in a gender status; otherwise, we feel socially dislocated" (Lorber, 1994, p. 54).
Overall, the environment is the most influential factor to the development of a child's gender identity. Whether through conformity or opposition, during childhood and adolescence, rituals of social belongingness are learned and reinforced through the rituals of the dominant culture. Today, the methods may be different, in terms of technology, but overall, the same cycle that has happened for generations is repeated as the individual moves through childhood to adolescence. Children during this stage are finding ways to be secure in their own identity and self-concept, and are looking for social belongingness and continuity. "Feminism has in its various forms challenged the assumptions of power based on the positioning of women in a male-oriented and male-run society" (Campbell and Kean).
Social constructivism as well as biological development influence gender. According to this perspective, people learn as they grow up. They become more and more able to differentiate between behavior that is socially acceptable and behavior that is disruptive and antisocial, as they grow to understand their environments and circumstances. One's reality, from this perspective, is influenced to a large extent by the forces of society acting externally. For example, in the above scenario, society has certain codes and prohibitions regarding clothing choices and impact on commerce. The boy who likes to wear his mother's clothing or play with dolls shows a disdain for and misunderstanding of these codes, but as they develop, they tend to better understand commerce and their deviance from its accepted codes, and thus became more conforming in a way that is pro-social rather than self-centered. People develop greater cognitive and social abilities as their brains mature, and they are able to learn from their surroundings and process logical principles, then establishing these principles as the facts on which they base their experiences. Overall, gender roles may operate in myriad ways, depending on the individual's experience. There are, however, general tendencies. "As long as a correlation exists between gender and level of resources, as of course it does, the processes described should be especially powerful in maintaining beliefs about gender's status value" (Ridgeway, 1991, p. 383).
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the argument between nature and nurture, this report has argued that nurture is more important, regarding a child's formation of gender identity. Although this identity is impacted by both environmental and genetic influences, from a perspective of social learning theory, the former are arguably stronger influencers than the latter. "Gender is such a familiar part of daily life that it usually takes a deliberate disruption of our expectations of how women and men are supposed to act to pay attention to how it is produced" (Lorber, p. 54). The challenge of the future will be to see how research develops along the lines of this general subject, especially because the external environment in the US seems to be becoming more progressive when it comes to accepting the various ways gender roles relate to biology and physicality. Therefore, gender roles may continue to change in the future, and become more equalized as alternative roles become more accepted. Contemporary society seems much less conformist than the past, although it is still sometimes ruled by the outmoded codes of this past.
Reference
Campbell, N. and A. Kean (2011). American Cultural Studies: An Introduction to American culture. New York: Routledge.
Lorber, J. Night to His Day. Paradoxes in Gender, pp. 13-36.
Ridgeway, C. The Social Construction of Status Value: Gender and Other Nominal Characteristics. Social Forces, Vol. 70, No. 2, pp. 367-386.
Gender identity is a characteristic that people generally see as being either internal or external. From an external perspective, gender roles are learned behaviors that are passed down through family, educational, religious and media structures in society. These roles determine how people should behave. This report looks at gender identity from a social constructionist point of view. In the argument of nature vs. nurture, this point of view is based in nurture. Similarly, during the mid-20th century, when the theories of Sigmund Freud were very popular, people explained gender identity and sex roles using the ideas of psychotherapy and psychoanalysis, both of which were primarily focused on nurture. That is, these theories stated that environment, to a large extent, determined behavior and personality.
Analysis
Gender identity is similar to a set of scripts that are handed down to determine behaviors. These behaviors are labeled as natural or coming from God, but in reality, they are functions of societal conditioning. "Gender ideologies rigidly script identities and differences according to natural or God-given distinctions, these cultural scripts of difference remain vulnerable to contradictions from within" (Campbell and Kean, 2011, p. 272). Most researchers today recognize that a child's gender identity is impacted by both environmental and genetic influences. Of the two, however, environment is arguably more influential, from a social learning theory perspective that sees influence as externalized.Social learning theory, in terms of background, concentrates on factors of reinforced learning. The sources of support or reinforcement in this sort of learning are put forth by the the status quo or expectations that people have about being in a civil society and living with others. Thus, children are taught by their parents, peers, and teachers to conform to certain expected behaviors when it comes to gender and role expression. For example, during the first few weeks of school, a male child may want to wear a dress and their mom's shoes to school, but after a few weeks, the child learns that all of the other male students are wearing boys' clothes, and one day comes to school with boys' clothes too, reinforcing the sense of his social belongingness. In the same way, from this perspective, gender identity is made up of these moves made during childhood towards social cohesion and bonding with rituals handed down and copied as the child learns socially. Unfortunately, these roles are not only different but also unequal. "A characteristic, whether nominal or graduated, has status value when consensual cultural beliefs indicate that persons who have one state of the characteristic (e.g., whites or males) are more worthy in the society than those with another state of the characteristic" (Ridgeway, 1991, p. 368).
In addition to the abovementioned social component, gender identity is also determined biologically and genetically. The body, during late childhood and into adolescence, begins producing hormones; androgens in males, and estrogens in females. These hormones also play a role in gender identity, and arguably, this role is very influential. However, from the perspective of social learning theory, nurture is favored over nature, in terms of explanation. From this point of view, learning is reinforced by others in society. "Gender signs and signals are so ubiquitous that we usually fail to note them-unless they are missing or ambiguous. Then we are uncomfortable until we have successfully placed the other person in a gender status; otherwise, we feel socially dislocated" (Lorber, 1994, p. 54).
Overall, the environment is the most influential factor to the development of a child's gender identity. Whether through conformity or opposition, during childhood and adolescence, rituals of social belongingness are learned and reinforced through the rituals of the dominant culture. Today, the methods may be different, in terms of technology, but overall, the same cycle that has happened for generations is repeated as the individual moves through childhood to adolescence. Children during this stage are finding ways to be secure in their own identity and self-concept, and are looking for social belongingness and continuity. "Feminism has in its various forms challenged the assumptions of power based on the positioning of women in a male-oriented and male-run society" (Campbell and Kean).
Social constructivism as well as biological development influence gender. According to this perspective, people learn as they grow up. They become more and more able to differentiate between behavior that is socially acceptable and behavior that is disruptive and antisocial, as they grow to understand their environments and circumstances. One's reality, from this perspective, is influenced to a large extent by the forces of society acting externally. For example, in the above scenario, society has certain codes and prohibitions regarding clothing choices and impact on commerce. The boy who likes to wear his mother's clothing or play with dolls shows a disdain for and misunderstanding of these codes, but as they develop, they tend to better understand commerce and their deviance from its accepted codes, and thus became more conforming in a way that is pro-social rather than self-centered. People develop greater cognitive and social abilities as their brains mature, and they are able to learn from their surroundings and process logical principles, then establishing these principles as the facts on which they base their experiences. Overall, gender roles may operate in myriad ways, depending on the individual's experience. There are, however, general tendencies. "As long as a correlation exists between gender and level of resources, as of course it does, the processes described should be especially powerful in maintaining beliefs about gender's status value" (Ridgeway, 1991, p. 383).
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the argument between nature and nurture, this report has argued that nurture is more important, regarding a child's formation of gender identity. Although this identity is impacted by both environmental and genetic influences, from a perspective of social learning theory, the former are arguably stronger influencers than the latter. "Gender is such a familiar part of daily life that it usually takes a deliberate disruption of our expectations of how women and men are supposed to act to pay attention to how it is produced" (Lorber, p. 54). The challenge of the future will be to see how research develops along the lines of this general subject, especially because the external environment in the US seems to be becoming more progressive when it comes to accepting the various ways gender roles relate to biology and physicality. Therefore, gender roles may continue to change in the future, and become more equalized as alternative roles become more accepted. Contemporary society seems much less conformist than the past, although it is still sometimes ruled by the outmoded codes of this past.
Reference
Campbell, N. and A. Kean (2011). American Cultural Studies: An Introduction to American culture. New York: Routledge.
Lorber, J. Night to His Day. Paradoxes in Gender, pp. 13-36.
Ridgeway, C. The Social Construction of Status Value: Gender and Other Nominal Characteristics. Social Forces, Vol. 70, No. 2, pp. 367-386.