SOC100H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Symbolic Interactionism, Sex Segregation, Physical Attractiveness
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SOC100H5 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Gender includes the feelings, attitudes and behaviours associated with being male/ female. Gender identity is the sense of belonging with a particular sex- biologically, socially and psychologically. Social constructionalism (natural features) views gender as constructed by social structure and culture- conflict theory, feminist and symbolic relativism perspectives. Conflict theory- men have always been more powerful- owned property (industrial capitalism) and used tools of socialization and force to make sure that their wives were faithful to them- property inherited by offspring. Feminist theory- male domination is rooted in patriarchal authority relations and family structures more than in industrial capitalism. Symbolic interactionism- people focus on their masculine/ feminine roles and do what is expected of them. Girls in single-sex schools do much better and experience faster cognitive development because such schools focus on academic standing rather than physical attractiveness and heterosexual popularity. Gender ideologies- sets of interrelated ideas about what constitutes appropriate masculine and feminine roles and behaviour.
