Masculine and Feminine Norms and Gender Identity Essay

Throughout today’s society, almost every aspect of someone’s day is based whether or not he or she fits into the â€Å"norm† that has been created. Specifically, masculine and feminine norms have a great impact that force people to question â€Å"am I a true man or woman?† After doing substantial research on the basis of masculine or feminine norms, it is clear that society focuses on the males being the dominant figures. If males are not fulfilling the masculine role, and females aren’t playing their role, then their gender identity becomes foggy, according to their personal judgment, as well as society’s. Norms in society do not just come about randomly in one’s life, they start once a child is born. To emphasize, directly from infancy, children†¦show more content†¦In addition, a study was done on children ages 4, 6, and 8 to test flexibility about gender and parental influences. Assessments were focused around gender constancy, judgments about gender norms; results showed that younger children were more rigid than older children, showing parental influence is present (Cyphers, Lisa)(Conry-Murray, Clare). Society also depicts the masculinity is defined by strength, and that women cant handle as much. A study conducted focused on the aspect of pain tolerance in comparison to men and women conforming to the norms, believing that men are stronger; two studies were performed. The first study tested pain tolerance strictly based on using a hypothetical pain stimulus; scientists wanted to prove that people know and encourage norms on pain tolerance. The second study was done to observe knowledge about pain, and tolerance behavior. It required actual stimulus to be taken place on the participants; they experienced electrical impulses at different intensities. Results showed that high identifying men were able to handle more pain than high identifying females’ some men endured the pain because they felt obligated (Pool, G.). Strength and pain tolerance are not only a factor with identifying gender, but emotional expression between genders is a big debate amongst society as well. Men a re thought to be the ones to have aShow MoreRelatedWonder Woman Character Analysis1123 Words   |  5 Pagesfemale’s advances (Hanley, 2014). Women in comic books who were smart, independent, has established storylines and identities, are always fashioned to be villains if they do not fall into the love interest role. Wonder Woman flips the paradigm by embodying those values, all the while being titled a hero. Not only do these masculine traits allow Wonder Woman to defy traditional gender norms, there is also a role reversal between her and Steve Trevor. Steve was â€Å"her perfunctory love interest; a token boyfriendRead MoreImportance of Sex(Gender Role)1672 Words   |  7 PagesA gender role is a theoretical construct in the social sciences and humanities that refers to a set of social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific gender. Proponents of gender role theory assert that observed gender differences in behavior and personality characteristics are, at least in part, socially constructed, and therefore, the product of socialization experiences; this contrasts with other modelsRead MoreSocietal Norms And Practices Surrounding Gender Essay1550 Words   |  7 Pagessocietal norms and practices surrounding gender are reflected in the schooling system and are consequently reproduced into the next generation. I will explore how gender is a social construct, changing across time and culture, and performed by individuals. I will analyse how through my socialisation at school, I have learned societally constructed gender ideals, and how this has affected by identity. It is a common belief that a person’s gender is biologically determined, where in fact, gender doesRead MoreGender Roles Are Based On Norms, Standards, Or Beliefs Created By Society931 Words   |  4 PagesGender Research Paper Gender roles are based on norms, standards, or beliefs created by society. American culture created the ideals that masculine roles (men) have traditionally been associated with strength, aggression, and dominance, while feminine roles (women) have traditionally been associated with passivity, nurturing, and motherly. â€Å"When Men Break the Gender Rules: Status Incongruity and Backlash Against Modest Men† focuses on atypical men who behave modestly during a job interview andRead MoreDoes Gender Role Norms Affect Behavior?1698 Words   |  7 Pages, 2005). These ideas, called â€Å"gender role norms,† affect the way people believe they are supposed to act, think, and even feel depending on their sex (Mahalik et al., 2005). These norms can be learned through simple observation, such as how children of different sexes act in television commercials and what behaviors are reinforced by parents depending on their child’s biological sex. As children grow up, their knowledge on gender norms and judgments on which norms can be violated generally increaseRead MoreThe Interpersonal Communication Concept Of Gender Roles878 Words   |  4 Pagesacting out roles such as doctors and nurses. Characters are divided further into detail between males and females. Gender roles are norms for how women and men are supposed to act. Wait. What is a norm? A norm is classified as rules or expectations that guide people’s behavior in a culture – or in their biological sex type. Conclusively, the United States has pictured certain identities for men and women about how they should act/function is the world. Additionally, each portrayal is then distinguishedRead MoreThe Evolution Of Female Identity902 Words   |  4 PagesThe Evolution of Female Identity Characterization through stereotyping female identity creates weak characters bound by gender expectations. The evolution of dimensional working-girl protagonists develops an unconventional female identity, which breaks the common tropes of a woman’s role in literature and society. Independent female archetypes often adopt masculine qualities to achieve status, earnest acceptance and independence in a man’s world. The heroine, Nancy Drew, promotes the corrosion ofRead MoreIdentity Is A Long Process Of Exploration And Discovery1506 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is Identity? Identity is really a complex thing and can’t be as simple as just asking someone who they are as Swartz mentions in his writing, â€Å"What is Identity.† Asking someone the question of who they are barely scrapes the surface of that person’s identity. This poses the internal subconscious thought in many of â€Å"who am I?† When asking oneself â€Å"who am I,† one might think in less complex terms such as; personality, race, ethnicity, culture etc. as the main focus to describe who they are. HoweverRead MoreGender Assignment : Child Is Born With The Sonogram908 Words   |  4 PagesGender assignment begins even before a child is born with the sonogram that tells the parents if they are having a little boy or a little girl. It happens again the moment a child is born with the phrase â€Å"It’s a boy!† or â€Å"It’s a girl!† announced over the wailing newborn in the delivery room. Initially we use biology to determine wheth er a child is male or female. From that day on, they are continually influenced by the adults around them. At the hospital, the baby is given a hat to keep its headRead MoreExamining Sub-Cultures: The Goth Culture1665 Words   |  7 Pagescollaborative norms and values that have been instilled in humanity, with the consideration that this varies across cultures. The paradigm between collective action and individual desire results in the formation of what is deemed socially acceptable, such as gender roles, sexual orientation, gender performance etc. â€Å"It is social norms that provide the constraints by which the interaction between the basic dyad of self and other is governed†¦social norms also provide the source of identity between the