ASSIGNMENTS

GENDER DYNAMICS AND GENDER STUDIES

Submitted by:
Suhani Jha

Q1. How to alter stereotypes?

Ans1.

Halo and horns effect

This study examined the impact of a variable, facial expression, on the social perception and
personality trait stereotypic inferences made to age and gender. Twelve facial photographs of
young and old female and male models posing with either smiling, scowling, or neutral facial
expressions were presented to participants who judged various social perceptions and
personality traits. Results indicated that facial expression is strongly associated with two very
different inference groupings. Smiling induced positive inferences, creating a Halo Effect,
scowling induced negative inferences, creating a Horns Effect. Smiling influenced the age
and gender inferences in a positive direction, and scowling did the opposite. The age and
gender stereotypical inferences made to the neutral facial expression were in-between smiling
and scowling. In all model configurations, the impact of smiling or scowling on the inference
process was much stronger than either age or gender. However, significant age and gender
inference differences were found in all three facial expression conditions, indicating that
facial expressions did not completely subdue the use of these variables as inference inducers.
The results are discussed in terms of how specific facial expressions can be used to positively
or negatively influence age and gender stereotypes.

Correspondent inference theory (Jones & Davis, 1965) can explain why this happens.
According to this theory, we are more likely to make dispositional attributions for behavior
that is not normative, but unique. For example, we are more likely to infer that a person is
emotional if he or she cries during a comedy than during a sad movie. Because many people
cry during sad movies, this behavior is considered normative, so crying during a sad movie
does not say anything about an individual’s personality. Crying during a comedy, however, is
not normative and leads to stronger trait attributions for behavior. Thus, we are also more
likely to infer aggression in a woman who uses power in her speech than in a man who uses
power in his speech because the woman’s behavior is more unique.
Backlash effect

When people display counterstereotypical behavior, they may be penalized. In a laboratory

study, college students competed against a confederate who either outperformed them in a
stereotypical domain (e.g., women categorizing pictures of toddlers) or a counterstereotypical
domain (e.g., women categorizing pictures of football players; Rudman & Fairchild, 2004).
When losing to someone who succeeded in a counterstereotypical domain, both female and
male participants sabotaged the confederate’s future performance by providing unhelpful
assistance. When losing to someone who succeeded in a stereotypical domain, there was no
sabotage. It appears that people are well aware of the backlash effect, as a subsequent
experiment showed that participants who succeeded in a counterstereotypical domain tried to
conceal their performance. Thus, the backlash effect serves to maintain stereotypes by
penalizing people for counterstereotypical behavior, dissuading people from publicizing
counterstereotypical behavior, and by undermining performance in counterstereotypical
domains.

Q2. Write about gender neutrality with examples

Ans2. Gender neutrality, also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality

movement, is the idea that policies, language, and other social institutions ,social
structures or gender roles should avoid distinguishing roles according to
people's sex or gender. This is in order to avoid discrimination arising from the impression
that there are social roles for which one gender is more suited than another. The disparity in
gender equality throughout history has had a significant impact on many aspects of society,
including marketing, toys, and education and parenting techniques. In order to increase
gender neutrality in recent years, there has been a societal emphasis on utilizing inclusive
language and advocating for equality. Gender neutrality emphasizes the equal treatment of
men and women and people of any other gender legally with no discrimination whatsoever.
This goal is in principle shared with both feminists and masculists. However, in gender
neutralism, the emphasis is on transcending the perspective of gender altogether rather than
focusing on the rights of specific genders. Gender neutrality is often confused with gender
equality. They are both related to the larger cause of gender inclusion, but not
interchangeable. Gender neutrality is akin to gender- agnostic policies, facilities , languages
and infrastructure.

For example,

businessman or businesswoman business person

chairman or chairwoman chairperson

crewman crewperson

foreman foreperson

layman layperson

mailman mail carrier or postal worker

manned crewed

policeman police officer

waiter or waitress server or table attendant

Q3. 2 researches about the psychological impact of stereotypes on women.

1. The Impact of Gender Stereotypes on the Self-Concept of Female Students in

STEM Subjects with an Under-Representation of Females.

Ertl and Paechter(2019). It's possible to assume that women who study STEM (science
technology, engineering, mathematics) topics with a low proportion of females have
successfully overcome barriers in school and the family, making them less prone to
stereotypic views, and influences. The present study focuses on these kinds of factors and
analyzes to which degree family factors, school-related factors, and individual stereotypes
may influence a woman's academic self-concept. The following study presents a latent
regression model which is based on a survey of 296 women from different German
universities, all of whom are part of STEM programs of study that have <30% females. It was
investigated to which degree individual stereotypes, support in school, and family support
contribute to the self-concept in STEM. Gender stereotypes were negatively related to
students' STEM-specific self-concept in the selected sample. This study also reveals negative
family-related influences that lower a woman's self-concept. Positive predictors on the other
hand included school aspects that are found in the students' favorite subjects at school. The
results of the study provide important aspects for STEM education. Even though the students
participating in the study presumably had good grades in STEM, stereotypes still corrupted
their self-concept. One of the reasons for this might lie in stereotypes that attribute girls'
achievements to diligence instead of talent. The results also point out that direct support,
particularly by parents, can have a negative impact on female students' self-concept.
Activities that are meant to support pupils directly may actually backfire and transport
stereotypes instead. This stresses the need for indirect support during socialization, e.g., by
providing opportunities for children to have positive experiences or by giving them the
chance to meet role models that are enthusiastic about their STEM professions. These kinds
of measures have the potential to spur students' interest in STEM subjects—something that in
the present study proved to be especially beneficial for women's positive self-concept when
studying STEM topics.

2. Gender Stereotypes and Their Impact on Women’s Career Progressions from a

Managerial Perspective

Tabassum and Nayak (2020). Gender stereotypes continue to exist and are transmitted
through media, and through social, educational and recreational socialization, which promote
gender prejudice and discrimination. This paper argues that contemporary management
culture does not critically engage with the social theories of gender studies, which could help
in developing gender-neutral affirmative action-oriented managerial perspectives. The paper
outlines different aspects of gender stereotyping and their impact on women’s career
progressions from a managerial perspective, which engages with the critical theories of
gender studies. The paper contributes to existing literature by identifying the antecedents of
gender stereotypes and their impacts on the career progressions of women in management. It
advances theoretical understanding of three clear conceptual shifts, that is, (a) Women in
Management, (b) Women and Management and (c) Gender and Management. The theoretical
transition from Women in Management to Women and Management led to progressive
conceptual shifts in management literature but gender stereotypes continue to exist in society.