An Analysis of Factors Influencing Gender Roles: A Psychology Essay

This essay explores the multifaceted factors influencing gender roles, examining the impact of parental influence, socialization, and societal norms. It discusses how parents, through the provision of toys and encouragement of certain behaviors, contribute to the development of gender identity in children. The essay also highlights the role of schools in either amplifying or diminishing gender differences, as teachers and peers provide varied learning opportunities and present curricular materials that may reinforce gender stereotypes. Furthermore, the essay emphasizes the significant effect of socialization, wherein children are introduced to gender-specific roles, impacting their preferences and behaviors. The provided references support the arguments presented, offering further insights into the complexities of gender roles and their formation within society.

Running head: GENDER ROLE
Gender Role
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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GENDER ROLE
Gender refers to range of the characteristics that helps in differentiating between that
of masculinity and the femininity (Oakley, 2016). There are various factors that have an
effect on gender roles along with sexuality. This essay discusses about the different factors
that affects the gender roles. It talks about parental influence and the pattern of the play that
has an influence on the aspect of gender roles.
An important factor that has an effect on the formation of gender role is socialization.
In the process of socialization, children get introduced to roles that can be said to be linked to
the biological sex. The parents have a great influence in relation to the development of
sexuality of children. The children learn the gender roles with the help of play. Parents are
instrumental in supplying the boys with the trucks and the toy guns that helps in the
promotion of aggression in the male gender (Shaw, 2015). The girls on the other hand are
provided with dolls along with dress-up apparel that helps in the fostering of the aspect of
nurturing. The society plays an important role in affecting the sexuality of a person as the
male infants are dressed in blue whereas the girls are dressed in the colour pink that signifies
the element of femininity in the female gender.
Schools act as a major context in relation to gender socialization as the children spend
a large amount of time in the school where they engage with the peers. The schools has an
influence on the gender roles as it plays an important part in magnifying or diminishing the
gender differences. The school provides them with an environment that promotes the aspect
of within-gender similarity and that of between gender differences. The teachers along with
peers influences the aspect of gender differentiation by providing the boys along with the
girls with various kinds of learning opportunities (Somech & Drach‐Zahavy, 2016). The
teachers are instrumental in presenting the curricular materials which contains behaviour
related to gender stereotypes. The children in the school internalize the concept of gender
prejudices that guides the preferences and the behaviours of the children. There are many

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educators who endorse that of the cultural gender stereotypes. There are educators who state
that maths is easier for the boys as compared to the girls that paves the way for the formation
of gender identity. The female teachers often show “math phobic” behaviours that is
instrumental that paves the path for the formation of sexuality (Manago et al., 2014).
Socialization has an influence in relation to the forming of the gender role in the
society. The children are introduced to various roles while undergoing the process of
socializing. Parents play an important role in developing sexuality pertaining to the children.
Children learn regarding gender roles in the process of play. The parents supply the boy with
trucks that promotes aggression in the men. Teachers have an influence on that of gender
differentiation as the girls and the boys in the school are provided with varying learning
opportunities. Teachers present curricular materials that includes concept related to gender
stereotyping that helps in forming sexuality in the children.

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References:
Manago, A. M., Greenfield, P. M., Kim, J. L., & Ward, L. M. (2014). Changing cultural
pathways through gender role and sexual development: A theoretical
framework. Ethos, 42(2), 198-221.
Oakley, A. (2016). Sex, gender and society. Routledge.
Shaw, A. (2015). Gaming at the edge: Sexuality and gender at the margins of gamer culture.
U of Minnesota Press.
Somech, A., & Drach‐Zahavy, A. (2016). Gender role ideology. The Wiley Blackwell
Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 1-3.