The Psychology of Gender 4th Edition

152 Chapter 5

Gender-Role Socialization

Social learning theory is believed to be the basis

for gender-role socialization theory. According

to social learning theory, behavior is a func-

tion of rewards and observational learning.

According to gender-role socialization, differ-

ent people and objects in a child’s environment

provide rewards and models that shape behav-

ior to fit gender-role norms. Agents in the en-

vironment encourage women to be communal

and men to be agentic, to take on the female and

male gender roles. Boys are taught to be asser-

tive and to control their expression of feelings,

whereas girls are taught to express concern for

others and to control their assertiveness. This

encouragement may take the direct form of re-

inforcement or the indirect form of modeling.

See Sidebar 5.3 for an in-depth examination of

TAKE HOME POINTS

■ Social learning theory states that we acquire gender-

related behavior through modeling and reinforcement.

■ We are more likely to imitate same-sex models, especially

when they display gender-congruent behavior; models

who are reinforced for their behavior; and models we like.

■ Society is filled with models of male aggression—in

movies, on television, and in video games—who are

reinforced for their behavior. Boys are more likely to be

rewarded by parents, teachers, and peers for aggression.

■ As models of appropriate behavior for females and males

change, the behavior of females and males may change.

■ Girls and boys are rewarded for gender-congruent be-

havior. Boys are more likely than girls to be punished

for gender-incongruent behavior, further supporting the

rigidity of the male compared to the female role.

SIDEBAR 5.3:The “Masculine Mystique”

Suicide and homicide account for one-third of the deaths of male youths between the ages of

10 and 24 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010b). We socialize boys to be tough, ag-

gressive, and dominant, and to restrict their emotions. Pollack (2000, 2006) refers to the “boy code”

when describing the pressure boys face to keep their emotions to themselves and maintain an

emotional distance from others. These aspects of male gender-role socialization have been linked

to aggression—aggression toward others and aggression toward one’s self (Feder, Levant, & Dean,

2007). The movieTough Guiseelaborates on the way that society socializes males to be aggressive.

Myriam Miedzian (1991) published a book,Boys Will Be Boys: Breaking the Link between Mascu-

linity and Violence, in which she linked themasculine mystiqueto aggression, criminal behav-

ior, and domestic violence. The masculine mystique consists of toughness, dominance, emotional

detachment, callousness toward women, eagerness to seek out danger, and competition.

Miedzian argues that we not only tolerate violence in males, but also encourage it. War is an

example: We associate war with maleness and we associate avoiding war with a lack of masculin-

ity; we glorify war with toys, books, television, and movies; political leaders affirm their masculin-

ity by engaging in war. Miedzian points out that the media claimed former President George H.

Bush proved his manhood and overcame his image as a wimp by going to war with Iraq; Bush’s

approval ratings hit an all-time high during the Persian Gulf War and plummeted after the war

was over. Similar claims were made about President George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Miedzian (1991) also argues that men grow up in a culture of violence. Hollywood offers an

abundance of models of men committing violent acts, and some of these models become heroes

(e.g., Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger). Themes of violence pervade music, sports,

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