“Outline and evaluate cultural influences on gender
role”
A01 + AO2 –
Differences in gender roles across cultures suggests gender is
influenced by nurture.
HOWEVER – similarities in gender roles across cultures suggests
biological factors are key.
Research to support the role of nurture, + thus highlighting the
differences in gender roles between cultures comes from Mead
(1935):
RESEARCH 1 – Mead (1935)
POINT – provides evidence for cultural role differences.
EVIDENCE – studied social groups in Papua New Guinea, + found huge
variations of cultural differences between the tribes she studied.
EXPLAIN – supports the role of nurture in determining gender role behaviour
because if biology was the key determining factor Mead would have found very
few differences between the tribes.
EVALUATE – weakness – Mead’s research was based on observations – so
findings could have been affected by observer bias – she may have just picked
up on the behaviours she was expecting/wanted to see – decreases the internal
validity of her study – weakens the support it can provide for the influence of
nurture in determining gender role behaviours.
HOWEVER – Williams + Best found no differences between
cultures, so thus contradict Mead’s findings:
RESEARCH 2 – Williams and Best
POINT – provide support for cultural similarities in gender stereotypes
EVIDENCE – tested 2,800 students in 30 different countries using a 300 item
adjective checklist. Participants asked to decide for which adjective, whether it
was more frequently associated with men or women. Found a broad consensus
across countries. Men seen as more dominant and aggressive, women seen as
more nurturing.
EXPLAIN – suggests there are universal gender stereotypes about male/female
characteristics so thus supports the role of biology in determining gender roles.
EVALUATE – weakness – participants all university students – approx. same age
and well educated – sample not representative so can’t be generalised to
everyone – weakens the support the research can provide for the influence of
biology in determining gender roles.
Research to support the role of biology in determining gender
differences also comes from Buss:
RESEARCH 3 – Buss (1989)
POINT – found evidence for universal sex differences in long-term mate
preferences.
role”
A01 + AO2 –
Differences in gender roles across cultures suggests gender is
influenced by nurture.
HOWEVER – similarities in gender roles across cultures suggests
biological factors are key.
Research to support the role of nurture, + thus highlighting the
differences in gender roles between cultures comes from Mead
(1935):
RESEARCH 1 – Mead (1935)
POINT – provides evidence for cultural role differences.
EVIDENCE – studied social groups in Papua New Guinea, + found huge
variations of cultural differences between the tribes she studied.
EXPLAIN – supports the role of nurture in determining gender role behaviour
because if biology was the key determining factor Mead would have found very
few differences between the tribes.
EVALUATE – weakness – Mead’s research was based on observations – so
findings could have been affected by observer bias – she may have just picked
up on the behaviours she was expecting/wanted to see – decreases the internal
validity of her study – weakens the support it can provide for the influence of
nurture in determining gender role behaviours.
HOWEVER – Williams + Best found no differences between
cultures, so thus contradict Mead’s findings:
RESEARCH 2 – Williams and Best
POINT – provide support for cultural similarities in gender stereotypes
EVIDENCE – tested 2,800 students in 30 different countries using a 300 item
adjective checklist. Participants asked to decide for which adjective, whether it
was more frequently associated with men or women. Found a broad consensus
across countries. Men seen as more dominant and aggressive, women seen as
more nurturing.
EXPLAIN – suggests there are universal gender stereotypes about male/female
characteristics so thus supports the role of biology in determining gender roles.
EVALUATE – weakness – participants all university students – approx. same age
and well educated – sample not representative so can’t be generalised to
everyone – weakens the support the research can provide for the influence of
biology in determining gender roles.
Research to support the role of biology in determining gender
differences also comes from Buss:
RESEARCH 3 – Buss (1989)
POINT – found evidence for universal sex differences in long-term mate
preferences.
