Development of Gender Identity HDV-283104-02 Empire State College Fall 2017 At birth, a child is determined to be a boy or a girl dependent on their biological anatomy. A gender role is thus established; gender role is defined as "the behaviors and attitudes considered appropriate for males or females in a particular culture." (Golombok & Fivush 1994 p. 3) Our different cultures determine what traits and typical behaviors are masculine and what are feminine. These traits and characteristics are referred to as sex stereotypes. (Golombok & Fivush 1994 p. 5) When an individual, male or female, steps out of their gender stereotype, bias is easily formed. This assignment will assess two professional research articles and discuss how the account of gender bias is present or not present in their research studies.
It is pre-conceived that the role of a man is to be the head of the household, the breadwinner, and the more dominant, independent sex. Females tend to do household chores, raise children, and take care of their husbands. Society is aiming to break this gender bias, but even with all of our advancements and change of times, gender bias is still in existence. Bias is defined as; a particular tendency, trend, inclination, feeling, or opinion, especially one that is preconceived or unreasoned. (bias. [n. d. ]. Collins English Dictionary) Typically, when people hear gender bias, they tend to relate it only to women; on the contrary, men can also be subject to gender bias.
The first article I chose for this assignment is titled: Gender Inequality and Role-strained among Male Nursing Students in Selected Nursing Institutions, Lagos, Nigeria, written by Florence F. Folami. Nursing in the public eye is viewed as a female's job. This study involves the participation of 205 male nursing students. The nursing students were given a questionnaire to measure gender role identity and perceived gender appropriateness of careers. The final percentages determined that there was in fact, gender bias on males as nurses.
It is clear that this study accounts for gender bias, the aim of the study was to prove that there is in fact, bias on men in the nursing field. "Majority of the respondents agreed that nursing is not a masculine type of career for a male to pursue, and there is a general perception that female nurses are more caring and nurturing when compared to male nurses." (Folami 2017 p. 217) This statement alone relates back to sex stereotypes; females are more affectionate and compassionate, whereas men are more aggressive and forceful. The aforementioned characteristics are taken from the Bem Sex Role Inventory. (Golombok & Fivush 1994 p. 7) Another interesting percentage I read was; "Fifty-eight percent of the participants also emphasized that nursing educators refer to nurses using the word 'she' and there is no discussion of the history of men in nursing." (Folami 2017 p. 216) Beyond Gender: Changing the Leadership Conversation By T...
