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Society expects different attitudes and behaviors from boys and girls. Gender socialization is the tendency for boys and girls to be socialized differently. Boys are raised to conform to the male gender role, and girls are raised to conform to the female gender or role. A gender role is a set of behaviors, attitudes, and personality characteristics expected and encouraged of a person based on his or her sex.
Influence of Biology
Experts disagree on whether differences between males and females result from innate, biological differences or from differences in the ways that boys and girls are socialized. In other words, experts disagree on whether differences between men and women are due to nature, nurture, or some combination of both.
Example: There are some significant differences between female and male brains. The language center in the male brain is usually in the dominant (usually left) hemisphere, whereas females use both hemispheres of the brain to process language. This may explain why females seem to have stronger communication skills and relish interpersonal communication more than males and why, on average, girls learn to speak and read earlier than boys.
Influence of Family
Every culture has different guidelines about what is appropriate for males and females, and family members may socialize babies in gendered ways without consciously following that path. For example, in American society, the color pink is associated with girls and the color blue with boys. Even as tiny babies, boys and girls are dressed differently, according to what is considered “appropriate” for their respective sexes. Even parents who strive to achieve a less “gendered” parenting style unconsciously reinforce gender roles.
Example: The toys and games parents select for children are often unconsciously intended to socialize them into the appropriate gender roles. Girls receive dolls in an attempt to socialize them into future roles as mothers. Since women are expected to be more nurturing than men, giving a girl a doll teaches her to care for it and fosters the value of caring for others. When boys receive dolls, they are likely to be action figures designed to bring out the alleged aggressive tendencies in boys.
Influence in Education
As children enter the educational system, traditional gender expectations continue to shape their experiences. Historically, research focused on how girls were overlooked in classrooms, particularly in math and science. Teachers often encouraged boys, believing them to be more analytical and better suited for careers in STEM fields. These dynamics contributed to gender gaps that disproportionately disadvantaged girls in certain academic areas.
Recent research, however, indicates that boys are facing unique challenges in the current educational system. Boys tend to lag behind girls in literacy, high school graduation rates, and college enrollment. The dropout rate for boys remains higher, and more boys are diagnosed with learning disabilities. Some sociologists argue that current teaching methods favor girls’ learning styles. Girls mature more quickly than boys and are able to focus and concentrate in class more easily.
At the same time, efforts to close gender gaps in education have expanded to include breaking down stereotypes for both boys and girls. Initiatives to encourage girls in STEM fields and to support boys’ literacy development aim to create a more equitable educational environment. Additionally, current discussions emphasize the importance of inclusivity for nonbinary and transgender students, recognizing that gender is not a binary concept and that all students benefit from equitable educational opportunities.
Influence on Career Choice
Gender socialization extends beyond childhood and education into career aspirations and workplace experiences. If cultural expectations dictate that girls are more compassionate and nurturing than boys, then parents, teachers, and counselors will steer them toward fields that require patience and concern for other people, such as nursing, social work, or elementary school teaching. Though a girl who expresses a desire to become a nuclear engineer would probably no longer be explicitly discouraged, a boy with a similar goal would probably encounter more encouragement.
Example: Women working in traditionally male occupations often hit a glass ceiling, an invisible barrier that keeps women from reaching executive positions. Men who work in traditionally female occupations, such as nursing, social work, or elementary school teaching, are often viewed as more qualified than women. These men often benefit from a glass escalator; they are paid more and promoted more quickly than their female counterparts.
