gendered lives chapter 1 the study of communication, gender & culture

Gendered Lives

Chapter 1

The Study of Communication, Gender & Culture

• A. Expanded Knowledge of Gender, Communication, Culture

•1. Only the last 20 years…

•2. 110,000

I. Communication, Gender, and Culture as an Area of

Study

• 1. Learning about communication, gender, and culture:

• a. Help you understand and critique gendered patterns of interaction

• b. Enhances insight into own gender

• c. Strengthens effectiveness as a communicator

B. The Value of Studying Communication, Gender, &

Culture

• A. On one level•1. Think women and men equal

• B. On another level•1. May hold traditional views

•It depends on your frame of reference

• C. Thoughts vs. Actions

II. Gender In a Transitional Era

• A. Are men and women really that different??

• B. Several variables influence us such as:

• C. Essentializing•Presume all members of sex

alike

III. Differences Between Women & Men

• Gender, culture, communication interlinked

• Cannot study one without understanding other two

IV. Relationships among Gender, Culture, &

Communication

• 1. Sex = designation based on biology

• 2. Gender = socially constructed and expressed•a. Sex and gender usually go

together•b. Can be inconsistent

A. Sex

• 3. Male or female based on external genitalia and internal sex organs•a. Genitalia and sex markers

determined by chromosomes•XX•XY

A. Sex

• 4. Hormones influence development

•a. Fetuses with Y bathed in androgens (Development of male sex organs)

•b. Fetuses without Y - fewer androgens (Development of female sex organs)

A. Sex

• 5. Influence of hormones continues throughout lifetime•a. Males more sensitive to

hormonal activity

• 6. Biology influences how we develop but doesn’t determine behavior or personality

A. Sex

• 7. Some people are born with biological characteristics of each sex

•a. Traditionally called hermaphrodites

•Today the term intersexed is preferred

A. Sex

• RECAP:

•Born male or female (sex)•Learn to act masculine and/or

feminine (gender)•Gender changes over time

B. Gender

• 1. Gender depends on a society’s values, and varies from culture to culture• In America

•Masculine = strong, successful, rational, emotionally controlled

•Feminine = attractive, nurturing, deferential, expressive

B. Gender

• 2. Gender is learned• 3. We do not passively receive

gender • 4. Gender is not stable

•Gender queer•Androgynous•Transgendered•Transexual

B. Gender

• 5. Relational concept•Femininity and masculinity make

sense in relation•Meanings of gender are also

changed by:•Personal communication•Role models•Interactions with friends

• As meanings of one changes – so do meanings of the other

B. Gender

• 1. Culture = structures, institutions, practices that reflect and uphold social order•Upheld by defining certain

groups, values, expectations, as good

C. Culture

• 2. Surrounded by communication that announces social views of gender

• 3. Global variations•Mead (1968)•Hofstede http://www.clearlycultural.com/geert-hofstede-cultural-

dimensions/masculinity/

• 4. Western culture is patriarchal•Pre and Post Industrial Revolution•5. Ethnic variations

C. Culture

• 1. Communication is dynamic•Continually changes, evolves•No beginnings or endings

D. Communication

• 2. Communication is systemic•Culture has the largest impact

on how we communicate• 3. All aspects of communication

are interlinked•Influenced by how we feel•Time of day, etc. may be

influence

D. Communication

• 4. Communication has two levels:•a. Content level of meaning

•Literal meaning•b. Relationship level of meaning

•Tell how to interpret content and how communicators see themselves in relationship

D. Communication

• 5. Meanings created through interaction with symbols•Humans symbol-using

creatures•Have to think to figure out what

symbol means•Symbols can be ambiguous

•More than one meaning

D. Communication