GENDER, STATUS and

POWER
CHAPTER 2

Basic Definitions

Gender

Power

The ability to control the outcomes of others by providing or

withholding resources
The ability to define reality and to have others accept your definition
(Dr. Wade Nobles)

Status

the traits associated with femininity and masculinity. Gender is

culturally defined and learned.
Sex is to gender as nature is to nurture
A classification system that influences access to power and resources
and shapes the relations among women and men

Social standing generally accompanied by respect

Hierarchy

A system based on dominant/subordinate classifications

The dominant group has more power and higher status

Patriarchy (ruled by the fathers)

Patriarchal societies delegate more power and higher social status to men

Definitions

Legitimizing myths: the stories told to justify hierarchical

social practices by characterizing women as helpless,
needing to be protected and/or controlled, self-sacrificing,
gossipy, catty, manipulative

Focus on false accusations of rape, paternity suits, etc.

Secondary impact is dividing women against each other

Prejudice is negative attitude/feelings toward an individual

based on their membership in a particular social group
Discrimination is treating people unfairly based on prejudice
Oppression is a widespread and systematic pattern of
prejudice and discrimination
Privileged identity/identities are those identities that are
commonly recognized as being associated with power and
high social status, often unearned.
Gender, race, sexual affiliation, social class, age are socially
ranked into valued/devalued or privileged/oppressed
In U.S., being white, male, heterosexual, middle or upper class
offers advantages that may be unnoticed by those who have them

Cognitive Significance of Gender

Whats the first question we ask when a child is born?

http://www.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2011/05/24/drew.gender.
free.child.hln
gender free child
Token seller in NY
Out-group homogeneity effect: women, associated with low
status are often lumped together in negative generalizations Ill
never work for another woman or women are just too
emotional
Self-presentation: acting out a self based on others (gendered?)
expectations.

Some women dont label themselves as feminists, yet subscribe to a feminist

belief system.
ME initially in NYPD trying to minimize gender differences.

Self-fulfilling prophecy: expectations can influence outcomes

Gender is not something we ARE, but is something we DO

False eyelashes
High heeled shoes
Cleavage
Parallel male constructs: Sports, ???????

How Does Gender Play Out in

Our Interactions?

Males more likely to do intrusive

interruptions, designed to end the other
speakers turn and take over the conversation
Women who interrupt males are judged
harshly as rude, disrespectful , etc.
In formal, task-oriented meetings, men talk
more than women overall (conversational
dominance reflecting status, power)
Men more likely to use direct orders when
explaining a gender neutral task to women

Nonverbal Indicators of Womens Status

Personal Space: Women generally command less personal space and

are more likely to have their personal space intruded upon (Mostly
male) executive office sizes reflect power. People with lower status
initiate handshakes, higher status initiate touch to others arms or
shoulders.
When all else is equal, women are relegated to lower status (e.g..
Visual dominance, where high status people look directly at low status
people and may look away when the subordinate speaks
Body Posture: Women tend to keep their legs and arms contained, close
to their bodies. Men stand with legs further apart, arms and hands
away from their bodies. Culturally, the message is that women are
entitled to less space!!!
Gaze: More prolonged eye contact between two women, people gaze
at females more than at men. Women are more often judged by how
they look in our society
Smiling: women and girls smile more often in conversations. Social
tension is a strong predictor of smiling in women, so women s smiles
are not necessarily an indicator of happiness, and are often used to
encourage others
Facial expression: Observers viewing baby photo-expression interpreted
as anger if told the child is male, as fear if told the child is female.

Decoding ability
Often identified with those who are
less powerful, it is competence in
looking at another persons nonverbal cues and behavior and
figuring out what mood or feelings
are being experienced by that
person.
Boss/subordinate
Children of alcoholics
Women

Gender Management

Gender management strategies include the ways that women behave

in an attempt to soften their impact and reassure others that they
are non-threatening, to avoid behaving in ways that are acceptable
for men but not sanctioned for women, being nice
Language qualifiers

Doublebinds create a no-win situation: Pretty women can t be smart?

Im not sure but

I could be wrong but
Indirect orders Would you mind Do you think I could get?

Sarah Palin, Legally Blonde

Dominant, assertive behaviors encouraged for men, women may be judged
as less likeable, less influential and more threatening.
Other women may prefer direct, less tentative approach but this may
result in harsh judgment by men

Gender-typing: As an individual becomes gender-typed, they describe

themselves as possessing the characteristics that are normative for
people of their sex within their culture
Just World theory (belief that you get what you deserve) & Denials of
Personal discrimination (sure there is discrimination, but it hasnt
happened to me)

Sexism

Women & work: wage gap, salary negotiations

Ambivalent sexism is combination of both

Hostile sexism: associated with the belief that women

other than sexy babes or homemakers, are inferior,
manipulative and threatening to take the dominant role
Benevolent sexism: associated with the belief that
women should be cherished, pure and they need to be
protected

Social Dominance Orientation (SDO): how much

you believe that some groups are just superior to
and should be dominant over (inferior) groups

Men over Women

Nationality, particularly American as reflected in
current immigration issues, language used about
Mexicans, Mexican Americans
Why DONT we have the same issues at the Canadian
border?
also can be based on race, religion, sexuality, class, etc.)
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What Can We Do?

Well, in Norway, a fixed proportion of

political candidates from major parties
MUST be women.
Girls who hear stories or view videos
featuring females who are leaders,
adventurers, engineers, etc. begin to
expand the outlook for their own
potential
*******
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