Cultural and Media Influence on Gender Roles

Question 1

Who conducted one of the earliest cross-cultural studies of gender roles?

Answer 1

Margaret Mead (1935) carried out a study on tribal groups on the island of New Guinea

Question 2

Date of Margaret Mead’s study

Answer 2

1935

Question 3

What were the gender roles of the Arapesh tribe in New Guinea, according to Margaret Mead’s study?

Answer 3

• gentle and responsive - aligns with common UK stereotype of femininity

Question 4

What were the gender roles of the Mundugumor tribe in New Guinea, according to Margaret Mead’s study?

Answer 4

• aggressive and hostile - aligns with the common UK stereotype of masculinity

Question 5

What were the gender roles of the Tchambuli tribe in New Guinea, according to Margaret Mead’s study?

Answer 5

• women: dominant and organised village life
• men: passive and seen as ‘decorative’
• does not align with UK common stereotypes of gender roles

Question 6

What does Margaret Mead’s study suggest about the relationship between sex and gender roles?

Answer 6

There is not a direct biological relationship between sex and gender, indicating that gender roles may be culturally determined

Question 7

What cross-cultural similarities in gender roles did David Buss find in his study?

Answer 7

David Buss (1995) found consistent patterns in mate preferences across 37 countries on all of the continents.

• Women tended to seek men who were wealthy and could provide potential resources, while men tended to seek youth and physical attractiveness in their potential partner