The Psychology of Gender 4th Edition

Sex-Related Comparisons: Theory 177

Box B: This box represents whether a

gender schema is activated in the fa-

ther’s mind. A recent event could ac-

tivate a gender schema. For example,

on the way to the day care, the father

could have heard a story on the news

about differences in social abilities be-

tween boys and girls. Attributes of the

daughter or the situation could acti-

vate a gender schema. Is his daughter

dressed quite differently from the boys

at the day care? Is she wearing a pink

Box A: This box represents the father’s

beliefs about women and men, that is,

whether he is gender schematic and

holds gender-role stereotypes, specifi-

cally about the toys that are appropri-

ate for a girl to play with. As the father

gets to know the daughter more, he will

be less likely to rely on gender-role ste-

reotypes (category-based information)

and more likely to respond to target-

based information (the attributes of his

daughter).

FIGURE 5.12 Deaux and Major’s (1987) model of social interaction for gender-related behavior.

This model explains how the perceiver, the target, and the situation determine whether sex differences

in behavior are displayed in a given situation.

Source: Deaux and Major (1987).

Self-System

of Target

Self Interprets

Perceiver’s

Actions

Self

Acts

Self Interprets

Own Action

Activation of

Gender-Related

Self-Schema

Perceiver’s

Gender Belief

System

Perceiver

Acts Toward

Target

Perceiver

Interprets

Target’s Action

Activation of

Gender-Related

Schema

Target

Attributes

Situational

Cues

Modifying Conditions

Characteristics of the Expectancy

Concerns with Self-Presentation

or Self-Verification

• Social desirability


• Certainty


• Situational context

A B C I

D E F G J

H

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