Chapter VII

Gender &
Development
by
Dr. Joseline Manuel-Santos
Gender
-one of the universal
dimensions on which
status differences are
based.
-is a social construct
specifying the socially and
culturally prescribed roles
that men and women are
to follow.
Sex
is a biological
concept.
Theories of
Gender
Development
• Social Learning Theory
• Cognitive-
Developmental Theory
• Gender Schema Theory
 Social
Learning
Theory
• Proponents of this
theory believe that
parents, as
distributors of
reinforcement,
reinforce appropriate
gender role behavior.
Cognitive-Developmental Theory
• This is derived from Kohlberg's
speculations about gender development.
• Children begin the process of acquiring
gender-appropriate behavior.
 STAGES Characterized by:
• Differentiates self from objects
Sensori-motor
• Recognizes self as agent of action and
(Birth - 2 years) begins to act intentionally.

• Learns to use language and to represent

Pre-operational
objects by images and words.
(2-7 years)

• Can think logically about objects and

events
Concrete operational • Classifies objects according to several
(7-11 years)
features and can order them in series
along a single dimension such as size.
•

• Becomes concerned with the hypothetical,

Formal operational
the future, and ideological problems
(11 years and up)
Gender
Schema
Theory
helps a child to develop
gender identity &
formulate an appropriate
gender role
Schema
- is a mental blueprint for organizing
information, and children develop and
formulate an appropriate gender.
Gender Stereotyping
-is defined as the beliefs humans
hold about the characteristics
associated with males and females.
Problems in Gender
Stereotyping
• When characteristics associated
with a particular gender have a
negative image.
• When a unique individual is
assumed to have all the
characteristics associated with
his/her gender.
Gender Ideologies
attitude toward men & women role.

• Traditional Gender Ideology

• Egalitarian Gender Ideology
• Transitional
Traditional
Gender Ideology
• Maintains that men sphere is
work and women sphere is the
home.
• The implicit assumption is that
men have greater power than
women.
Egalitarian
Gender Ideology
• Maintains that power is
distributed equally between men
and women and that each group
identifies equally with the same
spheres.
Transitional
• It is acceptable for women to
devote energy to both work and
family domains but women
should proportionally more
responsibility for the home and
men should focus proportionally
more their energy on work.
Gender
and
Equality
 Gender Equality
between women and
men
is a worthy goal that is
central to progress in
human development.
“The Creation of Patriarchy”
by Gerda Lerner

-gender is the “costume, a mask, a

straitjacket in which men & women
dance their unequal dance.”

“The Gender Question”

by Alan Wolfe

-”of all the ways that one rooted than the

way men have subordinated women.”
 Gender
Inequality
 4 themes that characterize
feminist theorizing of
gender inequality:
• Men & Women are situated in society
unequally.
• Organization of society.
• No significant pattern of natural
variation distinguishes the sexes.
• All inequality theories assume fairly
easily & naturally to more egalitarian
social structures.
Gender and Power
Gender
-refers to the different ways men &
women play in society, & to the relative
power they wield.
Power
-is a basic fabric of society & is
possessed in varying degrees by social
actors in diverse social categories.
“Essays in Sociology”
by Max Weber

-he defined power as the

likelihood a person may
achieve personal ends
despite possible resistance
from others.
Determinants
of POWER:
 Status resources
 Experience

 Self-confidence
Gender
and Education
Investing in Education is seen as
one of the fundamental ways in
which a state and its citizens can
move toward long-term
development goals and improve
both social and economic
standards of living.
Project by Group (4 members)
• Interview women from various sectors and
get their opinions regarding women
empowerment. Question: How are you being
– Education empowered in your
organization?
– Government
• Short typewriting
– Business • Arial; 12pt.; 1.5 spacing
– Religion • L-1.5”; R-1”; T-1”; B-1”
• Take photos of your
interviewee with you
 12pt

35pt
29pt

12pt