Gender Socialization (Culture and Psychology)

Gender Socialization

Gender socialization refers to the process in which children learn to become boys and girls . There are a number of socialization agents but the most influential of which are the family and the school . Gender socialization does not occur in a vacuum , environmental factors contribute to the learning and assimilation of the traits , behaviors thoughts and feelings of being masculine and feminine . The product of gender socialization is the learning of gender roles in order to meet gender expectations . Gender roles are the specific traits and behaviors that differentiate

the two genders from each other (Risman , 2002 . Some roles are thought to be exclusive to one gender , such that child bearing are for women only . Gender expectations are the set of standards or norms that are required and accepted by society and one 's culture as a manifestation of being a man or a woman . For example , it is still largely expected that men should provide for their families in many cultures around the world

One of the primary gender socialization agents is the family . A Family is composed of the parents and the offspring but in most eastern cultures , family may include the grandparents , the unmarried aunts and uncles . Among the members of the family , the most influential is the mother (Swartz-Kulstad Martin , 1999 . Mothers provide the care and nurturing that baby 's need and at times , the mothers are the only person that the young child interacts . Mothers choose what clothes should the baby wear , the...