The assumption that sex roles are biological, and therefore unchangeable, can be refuted by the simple observable fact that sex roles, have changed and are in the process of changing as time passes. Woman who are considered to be unable to hold positions of power or careers involving intelligence are at last being allowed to serve in such capacities. And the belief that every woman should have children and a family in order to be complete is slowly burning out and many women are happier without that.
Maccoby and Jacklin, 1974, found that there are only a few main differences between men and women. One, that males are more aggressive than females. Although this finding had been challenged, and the definition of aggression itself was questioned, it is fairly common feature that boys will play fight, and as adults are more likely to fight. Many workers challenge this, while others assert that it is the primary indicator of masculinity and femininity. Another finding is that females have more verbal ability than males, while males have better visuo-spatial skills. The distinction of this seems to appear at around the age of eleven and, because of the relevance to education it has received a great deal of attention. Girls and boys seem to have the same abilities in computer skills but boys are usually better, than girls, at mathematics and puzzles. It may seem that a childhood of social experience is the main factor, but the biological argument is that hormonal changes during puberty activate differences that previously have been dormant.
In 1971 Sandra Bem started looking at gender roles, and as a result created a measurement that revolutionized the way in which psychology viewed gender. It was called the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). In her introduction to the BSRI she states that both genders can be masculine and feminine, unlike other tests which are restricted to only one gender. Healthy functioning in society, according to Bem, required both psychological traits, the ones that were considered as masculine and those considered feminine. She argued that it was tragic for society to inhibit the development of half of the necessary psychological traits in each individual, and that an individual's over reliance on either stereotypically masculine or feminine traits could be dangerous to the individual and to society.
She tested her theory using the BSRI and categorised personalities as masculine, feminine, androgynous, (both masculine and feminine), or undifferentiated, (low-masculinity, low femininity). Bem found that androgynous subjects show sex-role adaptability across situations, as they will behave as the situation requires, even though this means behaving in a sex-inappropriate way.
This study will look into gender-based stereotyping using IQ estimates of males and females to distinguish which sex will be estimated to have the highest IQ scores, and if the hypotheses are confirmed or unconfirmed.
Like this study, Psychologists of the University of London conducted a study with a larger number of participants for evidence of gender based stereotyping. 224 participants were used (82 men, 138 women, and 4 who did not report their gender) for the experiment and asked to estimate their own and parental IQs. They hypothesised that men would give a higher estimate than women, and regardless of gender, they would estimate that their fathers IQ was higher than their mothers. The hypotheses were confirmed, on an average count, supporting the view that people perceive IQ as a primarily masculine attribute.
Hypotheses 1
Participants will estimate that their fathers IQ will be higher than their mothers IQ.
Hypotheses 2
Females will estimate that their fathers IQ is higher than their own IQ.
Hypotheses 3
Males will estimate their own IQ as being higher than their mothers IQ.
Hypotheses 4
Males will give higher estimates of their own IQ than females will.
Method:
Design: The test was a natural experiment as the independent variables were not controlled, such as the gender of the participants and the gender of the persons’ whose IQ was being estimated. The participants were given a new scale to indicate the estimates of IQ scores they were told to indicate separately to prevent the participant comparing their estimates together.
Participants: There were ten females and ten males who took part in the experiment. Most were friend and family of the experimenter and a few work colleagues. All participants were all of different ages all with different life circumstances.
Materials and Apparatus: The IQ scale used for the experiment was computerised on an A4 size paper with lines leading to the IQ score at the top of the page and what the IQ scores would indicate at the bottom of the page. It started at a score of 60 with an indication of needing help with everyday tasks, the score of 100 being an average score, leading up to 140 indicating closeness to genius levels, as shown on the scale provided.
Procedure: The participants were approached and asked to take part in the experiment. They were told to look at the IQ scale and told to indicate what they thought their IQ score would be. They were then given another scale and told to estimate what they thought their mother IQ score would be. They were then given another scale and told to indicate what they thought their fathers IQ score would be. The results were added together, for each category and divided by ten to give a mean IQ estimate. The results were put in a table and a combined mean estimated IQ was obtained. At the end of the experiment the participants were briefed and any questions regarding the experiment were answered.
Tables of Data collected:
Table 1:
To show the mean estimated IQ scores given by Males
Table 2:
To show the mean estimated IQ scores given by Females
Table 3:
To show the mean estimated IQ scores combined with the estimations from both males and females
Conclusion:
The results indicate that Hypotheses 1 was confirmed when the estimations from the participants were combined. However, individually the males agreed and estimated that their fathers IQ was greater than their mothers IQ, but the females disagreed and estimated that their mothers IQ was greater than their fathers.
Hypotheses 2 was also confirmed and the females estimated their fathers IQ as being higher than their own.
Hypotheses 3 was also confirmed and the males estimated their own IQ as being higher than their mothers.
The results also indicate Hypotheses 4 as being confirmed as males gave a higher estimate of their own IQ than females gave of their own IQ estimates.
Discussion:
In line with previous findings, the study taken, revealed gender differences, with males giving significantly higher self-estimates of IQ than females, and males, in this case fathers, were estimated to have a higher IQ than females (mothers). Hypotheses 1 was unconfirmed with the results of the females giving their mothers the highest IQ estimates, and confirmed with males. This was a bias result and showed gender stereotype as the female participants gave females a higher estimate and the male participants gave males a higher estimate. However, when the results were combined together it seemed to be confirmed and the overall result showed that participants estimated their fathers IQ higher than their mothers.
Hypotheses 2 was also confirmed and female participants estimated their fathers IQ would be higher than their own, again estimating men as having a higher IQ.
Hypotheses 3 was also confirmed as males estimated their own IQ scores as being higher than their mothers, again giving males the winning total.
Hypotheses 4 was also confirmed, again showing IQ scores are perceived as masculine with females giving a lower self estimate than males did.
Like the study taken at the University of London, the experiment indicated there are still gender implications in society today. The males always had the higher estimated IQ scores meaning males are seen as more intelligent than females. Other studies done into gender differences and stereotyping give similar results, that men are the more dominant, more intelligent and thought of to be better at most tasks (apart from being emotional and loving of course) than females.
If the experiment was done again, there could have been several factors to take into account or change to produce a better range of results to work with.
The samples used for this experiment was friends and family of the experimenter, meaning they were all probably from the same sort of background, live in the same areas and probably have the same sort of views on gender roles. If a wider range of participants were used, such as people unknown to the experimenter, standing in the middle of a town centre, for example, and asking people walking by to take part would give a more diverse range of participants.
Also the participants may not have been honest with their self-estimates with the method that was used. The experimenter told the participant to mark their estimates on a scale, while the experimenter was watching; which may have made the participant to feel uncomfortable when marking what they really though their IQ score would be, for example, the participant may have thought their IQ was below average, but didn’t want the experimenter to know, and think they were un-bright, so they gave a false estimate. If the participant were given 3 scales and told to mark their estimates in private, not giving their names, and the experimenter did not see what they had marked, it may have lead to more accurate results.
The average mark was the IQ score of 100, which was clearly displayed on the scale. This may have lead the participants to mark the average point, as they did not want to seem un-bright or think themselves as clever, just normal. If the word ‘average’ was taken off the scale, and just a few scores were indicated, may have stopped the participants going for that mark and a better range of results may have been produced.
Further studies could be carried out to find more evidence of gender stereotyping.
A study could be conducted to see if gender stereotyping is still in society today and how long it will be before males and females are considered to be equal. The IQ estimate can be used to test different ages of people, older people may have old fashioned values and be favourable of males, but as the change of role values evolve, teenagers, today may give a different result, confirming gender stereotyping may become a thing of the past. This type of experiment can also be tested, for comparing how people perceive gender roles, for example comparing different cultures, different occupations, or different living situations to see if there are differences in gender based stereotype among these different circumstances.
Another suggestion would be to compare Emotional Intelligence (EI) to IQ scores as EI is perceived to be feminine, as IQ is masculine. A scale of different emotional categories can be used to estimate what their own and their parent’s emotional strengths and weaknesses are and comparing the data with the IQ estimates.
To further the study into gender stereotyping another experiment could be taken out which include the participant estimating other relatives such as brothers and sisters to see if there would be gender bias with a wider range of results.
References:
Gross, R D (2005) Psychology: The Science of Mind and Behaviour, Second Edition, London: Hodder & Stoughton
Websites:
Appendix:
Instructions given, by mouth, to the participants:
The participants were asked to take part in a study relating to gender stereotypes.
(1 IQ scale was given to the participant)
- Look at the scale of IQ scores shown at the top of the scale which lead to what those scores would indicate.
- Mark on the scale what you would estimate your own IQ score would be.
(Another separate scale was given to the participant)
- Now mark on what you think your mothers IQ score would be.
(Another separate scale was given to the participant)
- Now mark on the scale what you think your fathers IQ score would be.
Any questions the participants had were answered.
The scales were then collected in and a mean IQ estimate was drawn, and placed in results tables.
