I was reading the posts that are already up on our Blog and a lot of them have to do with the movie. I think that some scientific evidence can settle the fight between genders. I was on psychologymatters.org and I came across this article about gender differences. I think gender goes beyond the clichés of the movies and social norms. I think psychology can explain gender from a different perspective as far as thinking, communication, aggression; leadership, self-esteem, moral reasoning and motor behaviors differ in the two genders.
Men and Women: No Big Difference
Studies show that one’s sex has little or no bearing on personality, cognition and leadership.
Psychologist Janet Shibley Hyde, PhD, of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, discovered that males and females from childhood to adulthood are more alike than different on most psychological variables, resulting in what she calls a gender similarities hypothesis. Using meta-analytical techniques that revolutionized the study of gender differences starting in the 1980s, she analyzed how prior research assessed the impact of gender on many psychological traits and abilities, including cognitive abilities, verbal and nonverbal communication, aggression, leadership, self-esteem, moral reasoning and motor behaviors.
Hyde found that gender differences seem to depend on the context in which they were measured. In studies designed to eliminate gender norms, researchers demonstrated that gender roles and social context strongly determined a person’s actions. For example, after participants in one experiment were told that they would not be identified as male or female, nor did they wear any identification, none conformed to stereotypes about their sex when given the chance to be aggressive. In fact, they did the opposite of what would be expected – women were more aggressive and men were more passive.
Media depictions of men and women as fundamentally “different” appear to perpetuate misconceptions – despite the lack of evidence. The resulting “urban legends” of gender difference can affect men and women at work and at home, as parents and as partners. As an example, workplace studies show that women who go against the caring, nurturing feminine stereotype may pay dearly for it when being hired or evaluated. And when it comes to personal relationships, best-selling books and popular magazines often claim that women and men don’t get along because they communicate too differently. Hyde suggests instead that men and women stop talking prematurely because they have been led to believe that they can’t change supposedly “innate” sex-based traits.
Hyde has observed that children also suffer the consequences of exaggerated claims of gender difference — for example, the widespread belief that boys are better than girls in math. However, according to her meta-analysis, boys and girls perform equally well in math until high school, at which point boys do gain a small advantage. That may not reflect biology as much as social expectations, many psychologists believe. For example, the original Teen Talk Barbie ™, before she was pulled from the market after consumer protest, said, “Math class is tough.”
As a result of stereotyped thinking, mathematically talented elementary-school girls may be overlooked by parents who have lower expectations for a daughter’s success in math. Hyde cites prior research showing that parents’ expectations of their children’s success in math relate strongly to the children’s self-confidence and performance.
I think that alot of factors determine how each gender acts and thinks but the norms of society skew everyones perceptions of gender and how each one should communicate, associate with one another, what roles should be played out and not to mention competative and aggressive traits- found in both genders but more likely to show in males.
http://www.psychologymatters.org/nodifference.html
Marsha K.
You might be able to do a thousand case studies in men and women, passive vs. aggressive, but it’s so much more than that, it’s about culture, it’s about how you were brought up.
Studies have shown (via something I read on http://www.msnbc.com last year) that apparently boys do worse in high school now than girls. More girls get the scholarships and athletic bids.
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You know what, I was just about to use an example to try and prove that women weren’t as willing to work factory jobs, jobs that absolutely are essential to America’s growth as leaders in industry and especially in putting Detroit ahead as a super-city during the 50s, and then I realized that during WWII, women took over most of the factory jobs while men went over seas and fought.
Touche, self, touche.
(N M Buccinno)
Marsha, I’m really glad you sought out the source that you did. That’s what I want to encourage—find a reputable source before you decide what to believe on hearsay. That’s great, wonderful post. As far as Nick’s comment goes…obviously a less reputable source is used here. But also, I don’t think you and Marsha disagree? She’s saying gender roles may be cultural, too. Also, girls may be given more scholarships because they are given fewer chances to excel previously and need a boost. And lastly, yes, there are plenty of women who have and do work in factories and often employers might not hire them as opposed to them CHOOSING not to work there.
Good job using scientific research to back you up. However, I take issue with something in your introductory paragraph. I’m not sure if you phrased it in a confusing way, or if I’m misinterpreting your meaning, but I question the existence of any “fight between genders.” I think it goes deeper than individual men subjugating individual women en masse for personal gain and conveniently simplifying the issue serves no purpose.
-Mae Wood