Gender-Role Beliefs

Definition

In a broad sense, the gender belief system is defined as “a set of beliefs and opinions about males and females and about the purported qualities of masculinity and femininity” (Deaux & Kite, 1987, p. 97). This belief system includes stereotypical views about men and women and attitudes toward appropriate gender roles, based on an assumption that what is not feminine is necessarily masculine, and vice versa, and that a person who is either masculine or feminine in one aspect of behavior is similarly masculine or feminine in other aspects of behavior.

Description

Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered socially appropriate for individuals in the context of a specific culture and which differ widely between cultures and historical periods. Gender roles provide guides to normative behaviors that are typical, ought to be, and thus “likely effective” for each sex within certain social context. Gender roles also depict ideal, should be, and...