The tendency for boys and girls to receive socialization differently based on their gender is known as gender socialization. Children are raised to assume male gender roles, while girls are raised to assume feminine gender duties. A person is expected to exhibit a certain set of actions, attitudes, and personality traits depending on their sex (Rajadhyaksha, Korabik & Aycan 102).
Factors influencing socialization
An individual learns values, beliefs, and social norms through socialization, a continuous process that starts at birth and lasts their entire lives. There are a few factors that have an impact on how people develop. The major agents of socialization are family, the school, peer group, and the media.
Family and School
Family forms the primary agent of socialization during the early years of a child. The parents and guardians teach and instill discipline on a kid. They introduce the child to the society, and we learn through example portrayed by our parents. Boys learn from their father and elder brother and relative what it means to be a man while girl child watches their mother and female relatives to determine what role she needs to play in society. A boy child is taught to be tough and develop a strong attitude. They are made to believe that they are stronger than girls and should guide and protect them. On the other hand, a girl child is taught to be obedient and submissive to mean. At school, children are taught on how to behave as well as their roles.
Peer Groups and Media
The peers influence how a child interacts in the social setting. Boys are made to interact with other boys and girls are supposed to interact with female friends. The peer group has a significant impact on behavior, attitude, and beliefs of the child. Media plays a crucial role influencing the way kids to think by reflecting social norms. The effect of media is that in some instances it portrays girls as the weaker sex which plays a secondary role.
Role of Toys
The society uses toys to socialize the children, and the effect is felt even when the kid has grown into a responsible adult. Growing up with toys such as guns, swords, and grenades makes one develop a sense of bravely. It is relatively easy to talk less and focus on the matter at hand due to the type of toys one grew using, use of building blocks as toys make a child focus and think carefully about what they are constructing. A sense of responsibility is developed due to the activities which the kid engage in while growing for instance use of guns and grenades makes a child feel that he is supposed to offer security to those around him.
Lack of Characteristics
According to Wilson, a writer who creates a sexless being to neutralize the gender socialization, the focus is the touch on men than women ("The Woman Behind Marvel's Newest Team Of Heroines"). He introduces a genderless character who he baptizes Singularity in a comic book. The author wonders what gender is and lacks the character to differentiate them. I will socialize my children differently so that they can be all rounded. They don't need to feel that being a female is a requirement for them to be submissive and dependent on men because they are a weaker sex.
Work Cited
“The Woman Behind Marvel’s Newest Team Of Heroines”. NPR.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 21 Mar. 2017.
Rajadhyaksha, Ujvala, Karen Korabik, and Zeynep Aycan. “Gender, gender-role ideology, and the work–family interface: A cross-cultural analysis.” Gender and the Work-Family Experience. Springer International Publishing, 2015. 99-117.
