According to social role theory, gender differences in social behavior are magnified by

Social role theory is a social psychological theory that pertains to sex differences and similarities in social behavior. Its key principle is that differences and similarities arise primarily from the distribution of men and women into social roles within their society. Through socialization and the formation of gender roles, the behaviors of men and women generally support and sustain the division of labor. In industrialized economies, for example, social roles are organized so that women are more likely than men to be homemakers and primary caretakers of children and to hold caretaking jobs in the paid economy. In contrast, men are more likely than women to be primary family providers and to assume full-time roles in the paid economy, often ones that involve physical strength, assertiveness, or leadership skills.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationThe Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies
EditorsNancy Naples, Renee C Hoogland, Maithree Wickramasinghe, Wai Ching Angela Wong
StatePublished - 2016

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  • Summary

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  • Subject index

The SAGE Handbook of Gender and Psychology is a unique, state-of-the-art synthesis of the known work, combined with current research trends, in the broad field of gender and psychology. In the past 35 years academic publications on the subject have increased tenfold, and this level of activity as well the diversity of research looks set to increase in the coming years too. The time is ideal for a systematic review of the field. Contributions come from academics around the world and many different disciplines, and as a result multiple perspectives and a diversity of methodologies are presented to understand gender and its implications for behaviour. Chapters cover a wide variety of topics, theoretical approaches, contexts, and social issues; they also critically examine the key issues and current debates. Both advanced students and scholars will find extensive range and depth in the topics covered across the Handbook’s 35 chapters. Published as a single volume, the handbook is aimed at individuals as well as the library market. The SAGE Handbook of Gender and Psychology will have mass appeal across the field of psychology, including social psychology and gender and psychology, as well a number of other subject groups such as gender studies, sociology, organizational behaviour and political science.

Chapter 14: The Social Psychology of Gender across Cultures

The Social Psychology of Gender across Cultures

The Social Psychology of Gender across Cultures

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Prejudice and discrimination based on a person’s racial background, or institutional and cultural practices that promote the domination of one racial group over another. (155)

Prejudice and discrimination based on a person’s gender, or institutional and cultural practices that promote the domination of one gender over another. (155)

A belief or association that links a whole group of people with certain traits or characteristics. (155)

Negative feelings toward persons based on their membership in certain groups. (155)

Behavior directed against persons because of their membership in a particular group. (155)

A form of prejudice that surfaces in subtle ways when it is safe, socially acceptable, and easy to rationalize. (156)

Racism that operates unconsciously and unintentionally. (157)

A form of sexism characterized by attitudes about women that reflect both negative, resentful beliefs and feelings and affectionate and chivalrous but potentially patronizing beliefs and feelings. (161)

Being persistently stereotyped, perceived as deviant, and devalued in society because of membership in a particular social group or because of a particular characteristic. (166)

The experience of concern about being evaluated based on negative stereotypes about one’s group. (167)

The classification of persons into groups on the basis of common attributes. (171)

Groups with which an individual feels a sense of membership, belonging, and identity. (172)

Groups with which an individual does not feel a sense of membership, belonging, or identity. (172)

outgroup homogeneity effect

The tendency to assume that there is greater similarity among members of outgroups than among members of ingroups. (172)

social dominance orientation

A desire to see one’s ingroup as dominant over other groups and a willingness to adopt cultural values that facilitate oppression over other groups. (174)

system justification theory

A theory that proposes that people are motivated (at least in part) to defend and justify the existing social, political, and economic conditions. (174)

A model proposing that the relative status and competition between groups influence group stereotypes along the dimensions of competence and warmth. (174)

A shared goal that can be achieved only through cooperation among individuals or groups. (175)

realistic conflict theory

The theory that hostility between groups is caused by direct competition for limited resources. (176)

Feelings of discontent aroused by the belief that one fares poorly compared with others. (176)

The tendency to discriminate in favor of ingroups over outgroups. (176)

The theory that people favor ingroups over outgroups in order to enhance their self-esteem. (177)

The theory that small gender differences are magnified in perception by the contrasting social roles occupied by men and women. (181)

An overestimate of the association between variables that are only slightly or not at all correlated. (185)

A method of presenting stimuli so faintly or rapidly that people do not have any conscious awareness of having been exposed to them. (186)

The theory that direct contact between hostile groups will reduce intergroup prejudice under certain conditions. (190)

A cooperative learning method used to reduce racial prejudice through interaction in group efforts. (193)

Cultural practices that promote the domination of one gender over another is specifically denoted by the term ________ .
a. sexism b. discrimination c. prejudice d. racism

________ is (are) beliefs or associations linking whole groups of people with certain traits or characteristics.
a. Prejudice b. Stereotypes c. Racism d. Discrimination

Modern racism is known as a form of prejudice that is ________ .
a. not hurtful b. subtle c. particularly aggressive d. surprisingly helpful

Implicit racism is specifically believed to be ________ .
a. conscious b. explicit c. subtle d. unconscious

The two basic elements of ambivalent sexism are ________ .

a. hostile and benevolent sexism b. objectification and double standards c. implicit and modern sexism d. stereotypes and metastereotypes

a. hostile and benevolent sexism

Someone who is stigmatized in a given society is often particularly viewed as ________ .
a. uninformed b. deviant c. creative d. brilliant

Stereotype threat specifically relates to ________ .
a. concern about being evaluated based on negative stereotypes about one's group b. the fact that people are most likely to use stereotypes when they feel threatened c. the damaging effects that prejudice and discrimination have on individuals d. the growing use of stereotypes in Western cultures and societies

a. concern about being evaluated based on negative stereotypes about one's group

Assuming that there is greater similarity among members of outgroups than members of one's own group is known as (the) ________ .
a. ingroup bias b. dehumanization c. outgroup homogeneity effect d. outgroup bias

c. outgroup homogeneity effect

The basic premise behind ________ is that limited resources can breed hostility between groups.
a. superordinate goals b. social identity theory c. relative deprivation d. realistic conflict theory

d. realistic conflict theory

Social identity theory is primarily about the importance of ________ .
a. securing personal resources b. valuing social over personal identity c. valuing personal over social identity
d. enhancing our self-esteem

d. enhancing our self-esteem

Social role theory assumes that ________ .
a. gender stereotypes are learned by adolescence b. unequal social roles are the reason why sex differences exist c. to the degree that sex differences exist, they are magnified by unequal social roles d. any perceptions of sex differences are sexist

c. to the degree that sex differences exist, they are magnified by unequal social roles

When you overestimate the link between variables that are only slightly or not at all related, you may be making a(n) ________ .
a. illusory correlation b. media effect bias c. confirmation bias d. self-fulfilling prophecy

If you've been given information so quickly that you do not even realize that you've been exposed to it, then you've experienced a(n) ________ .

a. subliminal presentation b. "41 shots" experience c. subtyping d. attribution

a. subliminal presentation

________ is the theory that direct contact between hostile groups will reduce intergroup prejudice under certain conditions.
a. The extended contact effect b. The contact hypothesis c. Friendship making d. The indirect contact effect

b. The contact hypothesis

________ is a cooperative learning method used to reduce racial prejudice through group interactions.
a. Self-regulation b. Multiculturalism c. Stereotype threat d. The jigsaw classroom

Which of the following is an example of a superordinate goal? a. A girl trying to set a new school record for running the mile b. Two friends playing tennis against each other c. A man trying to pick up a woman at a bar d. Athletes who normally compete against each who are now on the same relay team

d. Athletes who normally compete against each who are now on the same relay team

According to social-role theory, gender differences that arise from social roles provide a continuing basis for a. minimal groups. b. jigsaw classrooms. c. old-fashioned racism. d. gender stereotypes.

Adelheid was watching a series of commercials in which women were portrayed as having relatively low self-confidence, less independence, and fewer career aspirations than men do. As a result, Adelheid will probably _______ than women who watched commercials portraying women in counter-stereotypical fashion. a. perform better on a math test b. perform worse on a math test c. feel more powerful d. feel less powerful

b. perform worse on a math test

Linley is trying to reduce racism by having children of different races work on projects together. Each student is given information critical to the project and has to collaborate with their different-race group members by sharing that information to earn a good grade on the project. The classroom norms are supportive of cross-race interaction. Which condition essential to the success of the contact hypothesis is missing?
a. Equal status b. Social norms c. Cooperative activities d. Personal interaction

Research on the jigsaw method has found that jigsaw classrooms saw a(n) a. improvement in minority group test scores. b. decline in majority group test scores. c. decline in minority group test scores. d. improvement in minority group and maintenance of test scores for the majority group.

d. improvement in minority group and maintenance of test scores for the majority group.

Whose judgments are least likely to be influenced by automatic stereotype activation? a. A highly sexist person exposed to the label “woman.” b. A non-sexist person exposed to the label “woman.” c. A highly sexist person exposed to information consistent with negative stereotypes regarding women. d. A non-sexist person exposed to information consistent with negative stereotypes regarding women.

b. A non-sexist person exposed to the label “woman.”

Negative feelings directed at others strictly because of their membership in a particular social category is called a. discrimination. b. prejudice. c. the outgroup homogeneity effect. d. the ingroup homogeneity effect.

Gunner thinks that Jews are particularly funny. He overestimates the association between being a stand-up comedian and being Jewish because both characteristics are very distinctive from the normal population. This demonstrates a. a contrast effect. b. the outgroup homogeneity effect. c. an illusory correlation. d. social-role theory.          

c. an illusory correlation.

Bridgette thinks short people are lazy, and Barbara refuses to let short people join her book club. Bridgette is exhibiting _____, whereas Barbara is exhibiting _____.
a. discrimination; prejudice b. stereotyping; discrimination c. prejudice; stereotyping d. prejudice; discrimination

b. stereotyping; discrimination

Imagine a person high in implicit prejudice having to interact with a person of a different race in a laboratory setting over several meetings. Research by Page-Gould and others (2008) suggests that for this individual, cortisol levels will a. be highest at the first meeting and decrease over time. b. be lowest at the first meeting and increase over time. c. remain level across all meetins. d. wax and wane over the course of all meetings.        

a. be highest at the first meeting and decrease over time.

Which of the following was not an argument of Devine’s (1989) early work on the automatic activation of stereotypes? a. Exposure to a member of a stereotyped group is sufficient to activate the stereotype. b. Stereotype activation is automatic, but stereotypes cannot influence judgments without conscious intent. c. Exposure to some content of the stereotype will activate the general stereotype. d. Automatic stereotype activation biases subsequent judgments in the direction of the activated stereotype.

b. Stereotype activation is automatic, but stereotypes cannot influence judgments without conscious intent.

Which of the following statements concerning the relationship between competition and prejudice is false? a. Imagined competition can lead to prejudice just as much as actual competition. b. The perception that one is not doing as well as outgroup members is sufficient to produce prejudice. c. Prejudice can result from competitive threat to the ingroup as well as the individual. d. Superordinate goals help diffuse conflict between children, but not adults.

d. Superordinate goals help diffuse conflict between children, but not adults.

Minimal groups are groups
a. consisting of only two people. b. that occupy low-status positions in society. c. based on trivial, often arbitrary, distinctions. d. with a long history of competition and antagonism.

c. based on trivial, often arbitrary, distinctions.

Shortly after 9/11/01, even though a bitterly contested election had recently occurred, many Americans put aside their political differences in reaction to the national tragedy that occurred that day, viewing “American” as their primary identity rather than Republican or Democrat. This change is consistent with what the ____ proposes is necessary to reduce prejudice. a. Common Ingroup Identity Model b. social identity theory c. Social Categorization Model d. realistic conflict theory

a. Common Ingroup Identity Model

Affectionate feelings toward women based on the belief that women need protection are referred to as _____ sexism. a. ambivalent b. patronizing c. benevolent d. hostile          

Research on stereotype threat suggests that underperformance by African Americans in academic settings may be due to
a. a fear of confirming negative stereotypes of African Americans. b. an overemphasis on superordinate goals in instruction. c. receiving negative feedback based on racist motives. d. the desegregation that tends to occur even in so-called integrated schools.

a. a fear of confirming negative stereotypes of African Americans.

You think all professors are a bit nerdy and have esoteric interests. You find out that your social psychology professor can sing the theme song to any television show that aired in the 1970s or 1980s, and is also fluent in the Star Trek language of Klingon. You believe that your stereotype has been confirmed by this professor. This is an example of a. confirmation bias. b. implicit personality theory. c. self-fulfilling prophecy. d. None of these

According to social-role theory, gender differences in social behavior are the result of
a. the unequal gender-based division of labor. b. unrealistic expectations about how men and women should behave. c. biologically based differences in social dominance. d. the forces of natural selection.

a. the unequal gender-based division of labor.

All of the following result from social categorization except a. overestimation of differences between groups. b. underestimation of differences within groups. c. increased confidence that differences between groups are biologically based. d. increased tendency to notice behaviors inconsistent with group stereotype.

d. increased tendency to notice behaviors inconsistent with group stereotype.

Hugenberg and Corneille (2009) exposed Caucasian participants to the faces of unfamiliar people. They found that compared to faces of outgroup members, faces of ingroup members were processed more a. slowly. b. holistically. c. sequentially. d. reluctantly.

According to social identity theory, people display ingroup favoritism
a. as a way of displacing negative feelings toward the outgroup. b. as a means of increasing self-esteem. c. because they expect to be treated unfairly by outgroup members. d. because intergroup competition demands it.

b. as a means of increasing self-esteem.

According to the self-regulation of prejudiced responses model, _____ motivated individuals may learn to control their prejudices _____ effectively over time. a. internally; more b. internally; less c. externally; more d. externally; evenly

Negative feelings directed at women’s abilities, values, and ability to challenge the power of men are referred to as a. ambivalent sexism. b. modern sexism. c. benevolent sexism. d. hostile sexism.

Zena just learned that she did not get into the college of her choice. She comes upon Alec, a resident of a nearby neighborhood and one that most outsiders find distasteful. It is likely that the news Zena just received will cause her to judge Alec more _____, making her feel _____ about herself. a. positively; worse b. negatively; worse c. positively; better d. negatively; better        

Subtyping is least likely when confronted with a group member who
a. is dramatically different from the group. b. causes observers to bring to mind others who confirm the stereotype. c. is perceived to have violated a stereotype for situational reasons. d. deviates from the stereotype on only a few dimensions.

d. deviates from the stereotype on only a few dimensions.

Which statement best epitomizes the role of socialization in explaining stereotypes quizlet?

which of the following best epitomizes the role of socialization in explaining stereotypes? Bridgette thinks short people are lazy and Barbara refuses to let short people join her book club.

Which condition is not deemed ideal for contact to serve as a treatment for racism quizlet?

Which of the following is not one of the conditions deemed ideal for contact to serve as a treatment for racism? the unequal gender-based division of labor. they lack familiarity with members of the outgroup.

Which of the following is an essential requirement for stereotype threat to occur?

Which of the following is an essential requirement for stereotype threat to occur? the speed at which participants associate stimuli with a positive or negative word.

How does prejudice regarding overweight and obesity compared to racism and sexism quizlet?

​How does prejudice regarding overweight and obesity compare to racism and sexism? Unlike racist and sexist attitudes, many people will openly admit and even act upon their negative attitudes toward obese people.