The choice of gender role occurs at age. How are the gender roles of men and women formed? Female gender role

In modern sociology, the concept of “gender role” has acquired two meanings.

In the first case, the gender role understood as the way in which a person expresses his gender identity. In other words, how much he is a real man or an ideal woman. In some cases, a person finds it difficult to identify himself with which gender, alternately playing the role of a man, then the role of a woman. Then they use the term “third gender” or talk about transsexuals And transgender people

In the second meaning, gender role implies role repertoire , i.e. a set of different behavior patterns, activities or functions that a person who has already decided on his gender identity has to perform. Let's say modern woman(social role) should be a housewife, mother, wife, worker (role repertoire).

It is known that in addition to biological differences between people belonging to the two sexes, there are also social differences due to the division of labor, the delimitation of social roles, and the distribution of activities and occupations. Anthropologists, ethnographers and historians have long established the relativity of ideas about “typically male” or “typically female”. What is considered a masculine activity (behavior, character trait) in one society may be defined as feminine in another. To be a man or a woman in society does not simply mean having certain anatomical features. This means fulfilling certain tasks prescribed to us. gender roles- models of behavior that society prescribes for men and women, as well as the set of expectations that others place on people performing these roles. External signs that make it possible to distinguish subjects of one, female, from another, male, role are biological differences between the two sexes, as well as features of speech (tone, pitch, volume, intonation of voice) and language (set of words used), behavior, adherence to norms etiquette, culture of gestures, clothing, orientation of interests, attitudes, inclinations and hobbies.

Male and female gender roles are, according to experts, mutually exclusive, and in some societies the patterns role behavior may even be polarized.

Gender roles determine, for example, that human individuals with female sexual characteristics should wear lipstick and cook cabbage soup, and those without such characteristics should wear a tie and earn money. On the contrary, in modern culture the so-called universal style of clothing and behavior is being formed - unisex(English unisex - [about fashion] asexual), which is equally characteristic of men and women, and therefore is not able to clearly distinguish representatives of different sexes.

Today, the relationship between the sexes and the definition of the roles of each of them are changing radically. New conditions, on the one hand, provide greater equality between the sexes, and on the other, erase the differences between them. Passivity, patience, loyalty and altruism are no longer considered just feminine traits. They are very beneficial to men who have learned to exploit these qualities, but do not always show equal masculine virtues in return - chivalry or nobility. Ambition, activity and independence are increasingly becoming feminine traits as well. And the introduction of men to the process of childbirth and the responsibilities of motherhood forms in them traits that have traditionally been considered purely feminine: tenderness, affection, the desire to take care of babies.

Women today find it much easier to enter social life than their mothers and grandmothers. Now they have more freedom of movement: gone are the days when a woman could only leave the house with a companion, friend or relative. But it seems they are forced to pay for this too. Statistics show that young women often become victims of sexual aggression from men.

The gender role, according to the Russian sociologist I. S. Kon, refers to the normative prescriptions and expectations that the corresponding culture places on “correct” male or female behavior and which serve as a criterion for assessing the masculinity/femininity of a child or adult. The prescriptions adopted by society in relation to each role are determined by gender and age division and the different participation of women and men in economic life. This has been the case since ancient times.

In particular, exclusively male activities in traditional society everything that was connected with the religious and magical side of the life of the community was considered: the performance of religious rites and rituals, the assimilation and transmission of sacred myths to other generations, magic spells, religious chants. Men perform all sacred rituals in secret from women and severely punish (including murder) those men who cannot keep a secret and those women who show excessive curiosity. Women are prohibited from approaching places of sacred rituals, looking at religious emblems, touching objects involved in rituals, knowing sacred myths, songs, and the history of the tribe. According to the ideas of primitive people, men, during their religious activities, communicate with the spirits of ancestors, sacred animals, creatures - patrons of the tribe or clan, in a word, they mediate between the world of people and the sacred world, trying to ensure the well-being of all members of the team. Witchcraft and black magic are also the domain of men. With their help, both ensuring success in various endeavors and taking revenge on enemies are achieved.

Organizing intra-community life is predominantly a male affair. In men's houses, separately from women, men make decisions related to the most important issues life of the team. This includes the distribution of food, the use of community territory, the organization of festivities, the resolution of marriage issues, the settlement of internal disputes and conflicts, control over team members and punishment of offenders, etc.

Since ancient times, men have monopolized the sphere of intercommunity, and then international relations, turning a purely female (by name) field of activity - diplomacy - into his own domain. Whether it was the establishment of friendly inter-tribal relations and the subsequent multi-day feast, where again only males were allowed, or a declaration of war and distant campaigns of conquest, all the weights of which could only be endured by the stronger sex. Primitive men searched and explored new territories, were the first to develop future sites, and were the first to plow land. Men, to a greater extent than women, are bound by external obligations: they are involved in a complex of kinship and community relationships that involve the exchange of food, things or certain services. Women, as a rule, are not involved in these matters.

It is not surprising that men occupied all the most important activities for the community - from politics, religion, economics to decisions social problems. That's why they made up core primitive society, which performed a cementing function, organizing the primitive collective from the inside. The entire life of women is concentrated within the community, and they cement it from the inside not through organizational decisions and control, but through numerous interpersonal contacts and connections.

Women's sphere peripheral and is limited mainly to family, home, caring for children and husband. If the position of a man is dual: he is, as it were, between the community and the family, then the position of a woman is definite - she belongs to the family, being its center. The goal of all her activity is the well-being of this “female” world. It is achieved by maintaining economic security own family, as well as establishing proper interaction with similar groups (women’s cells) within the community, in particular through the exchange of food, mutual assistance in caring for children, participation in joint work with other women to deliver water and fuel and other collective activities.

Elements of the gender role are also clothing, gestures, and manner of speech. One person’s wardrobe, as well as the system of rules, can change throughout the day: in the morning she is a housewife (robe, curlers, nervous getting ready for work), in the afternoon she is a businesswoman (strict suit, bossy tone, makeup), in the evening she is a theatergoer (evening dress, free manners, different image) or caring mother(Fig. 8.2).

In marriage, a woman performs a number of roles, necessary for a man: the role of a friend with whom you can consult on important life issues and “pour out your soul”, spend time together free time or vacation with whom you can share everyday problems, trust her; the role of a quasi-mother who bestows attention and care on him, the role of a housewife who takes care of order, comfort, and cleanliness. One of the important roles of a woman is that of a lover.

The topic of gender roles will not be fully explored if we limit ourselves to two genders and begin to consider the role

Rice. 8.2.

only as a model of behavior defined by the biological boundaries of one sex. The phenomenon has been known since ancient times gender change, which can occur both surgically (through genital surgery) and symbolically (through dressing up and changing the cultural image). In anthropological and sociological literature this phenomenon received the general generic name of the “third gender”.

The ritual dressing of men in women's clothing has been preserved to this day in various tribes that have inherited the customs of ancient cultures. For example, in the Namshi tribe, young men wear skirts for the initiation rite, and in the Maasai tribes, boys wear skirts from the moment of the circumcision ritual until the wounds are completely healed. Kathakali dancers in Ceylon wear precious jewelry and paint, thus trying to evoke the favor of the gods, the Zulus in such attire cause rain, and the Indian Bhotas dance in women's clothing to scare away scarlet spirits.

Performers of female roles in Japanese Kabuki theater wear very careful makeup, speak in falsetto and move, imitating women's walking and gestures. The culture of Kabuki men is so high that many Japanese women, paradoxically, still come to the theater to learn from men the art of being a woman. They try to adopt their way of holding their back, copy gestures and much more.

From about the 16th century. In many European countries, there was a tradition of dressing boys in dresses and calling them by their maiden names until they were seven years old. In this way, apparently, the parents tried to protect their sons from evil spirits. Only after seven years were boys allowed to change their dresses to pantaloons and become members of male society. This tradition extended to all classes of society. Thus, in family portraits depicting children, it was possible to distinguish who it was, a boy or a girl, only by the toys that the children held in their hands. For boys it was either a whip or a wooden horse, for girls it was a doll. This tradition was so stable that in some places it survived until the middle of the 20th century.

• Cm.: Badinter E. Decree. op. P. 56.
• For more details see: History primitive society. Primitive era tribal community. M., 1986; Manager L. N. Paul how cultural-historical phenomenon: the era of primitiveness. URL: irbis.asu.ru
• maya.cltn.ru

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The baby has not yet been born, but having found out his gender, we buy clothes, a stroller, furnish the nursery... For a boy we choose blue tones, for a girl - pink. This is how “gender education” begins. Then the boy receives cars as a gift, and the girl receives dolls. We want to see our son as courageous, brave and strong, and our daughter as affectionate, soft and compliant. Doctor and psychologist Igor Dobryakov talks about how our gender expectations affect children.

The word "gender" was coined to separate the social meanings of "masculinity" and "femininity" from biological sex differences. Gender is determined by anatomical and physiological characteristics that allow us to divide all people into men and women and classify ourselves as one of the groups. Sometimes, due to a chromosomal malfunction or as a result of abnormalities in the development of the embryo, a person is born who combines the sexual characteristics of both men and women (hermaphrodite). But this happens extremely rarely.

One psychologist jokingly said that sex is what is between the legs, and gender is what is between the ears. If a person’s sex is determined at birth, then gender identity is formed in the process of upbringing and socialization. To be a woman or a man in society means not only to have a certain anatomical structure, but also to have an appearance, manners, behavior, and habits that meet expectations. These expectations set certain patterns of behavior (gender roles) for men and women depending on gender stereotypes - what is considered “typically masculine” or “typically feminine” in society.

The emergence of gender identity is closely related to biological development, and with the development of self-awareness. At the age of two, they do not fully understand what this means, however, under the influence of the example and expectations of adults, they are already beginning to actively form their gender attitudes, learning to distinguish the gender of those around them by clothing, hairstyle, and facial features. By the age of seven, a child realizes the immutability of his biological sex. In adolescence, the formation of gender identity occurs: rapid puberty, manifested by body changes, romantic experiences, erotic desires, stimulates it. This has a strong impact on the further formation of gender identity. There is an active development of forms of behavior and the formation of character in accordance with the ideas of parents, the immediate environment, and society as a whole about femininity (from the Latin femininus - “female”) and masculinity (from the Latin masculinus - “male”).

Gender equality

Over the past 30 years, the idea of ​​gender equality has gained momentum wide use in the world, formed the basis of many international documents, and is reflected in national laws. Gender equality means equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities for women and men in all spheres of life, including equal access to education and healthcare, equal opportunities to work, participate in government, start a family and raise children. Gender inequality creates fertile ground for gender-based violence. Stereotypes preserved from archaic times attribute different scenarios of sexual behavior to women and men: men are allowed greater sexual activity and aggressiveness, women are expected to be passively obedient and submissive to a man, which easily turns her into an object of sexual exploitation.

Equal in difference

And women have always existed, but they differed in different eras and among different peoples. Moreover, in different families living in the same country and belonging to the same class, ideas about the “real” man and woman can vary significantly.

IN modern countries In Western civilization, the ideas of gender equality between men and women gradually prevailed, and this gradually equalized their roles in society and family. Voting rights for women were legislated quite recently (by historical standards): in the USA in 1920, in Greece in 1975, in Portugal and Spain in 1974 and 1976, and one of the cantons of Switzerland equalized voting rights for women and men only in 1991. Some countries, such as Denmark, have created a special ministry dedicated to gender equality.

At the same time, in countries where the influence of religion and traditions is strong, views are more common that recognize the right of men to dominate, manage, and rule over women (for example, in Saudi Arabia, women were promised to be given the right to vote only in 2015).

Masculine and feminine qualities are manifested in behavior, appearance, and preference for certain hobbies and activities. There are also differences in values. It is believed that women value human relationships, love, family more, and men value social success and independence. However, in real life, the people around us demonstrate a combination of both feminine and masculine personality traits, the values ​​that are significant to them can vary significantly. In addition, masculine or feminine traits that appear clearly in some situations may be invisible in others. Similar observations led the Austrian scientist Otto Weininger to the idea that every normal woman and every normal man there are traits of both one’s own and the opposite sex, a person’s individuality is determined by the predominance of the male over the female or vice versa*. He used the term "androgyny" (Greek ανδρεία - man; Greek γυνής - woman) to refer to the combination of masculine and feminine traits. Russian philosopher Nikolai Berdyaev called Weininger’s ideas “brilliant intuitions”**. Shortly after the publication of Weininger's work "Sex and Character", male and female sex hormones were discovered. In the body, men produce female hormones along with male sex hormones, and in the female body, along with female hormones, male hormones are produced. Their combination and concentration influence a person’s appearance and sexual behavior and shape his hormonal sex.

That is why in life we ​​encounter such a variety of manifestations of masculine and feminine. Some men and women have predominantly masculine and feminine qualities, while others have a balance of both. Psychologists believe that individuals of the androgynous type, who combine high levels of both masculinity and femininity, have greater behavioral flexibility, and therefore are the most adaptive and psychologically prosperous. Therefore, raising children within the strict confines of traditional gender roles can do them a disservice.

Igor Dobryakov– candidate medical sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Child Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and medical psychology Northwestern State Medical University named after. I. I. Mechnikova. Member of the editorial boards of the journals “Perinatal Psychology”, “Issues of Mental Health of Children and Adolescents”, “Children’s Medicine of the North-West”. Author of dozens scientific works, as well as co-author of the books “Development of a Child’s Personality from Birth to One Year” (Rama Publishing, 2010), “Child Psychiatry” (Peter, 2005), “Health Psychology.”

Captured by stereotypes

Most people believe that a woman has such qualities as sensitivity, tenderness, caring, sensitivity, tolerance, modesty, pliability, gullibility, etc. Girls are taught to be obedient, careful, and responsive.

True masculine qualities are considered courage, perseverance, reliability, responsibility, etc. Boys are taught to rely on their own strengths, achieve their own goals, and be independent. Punishments for misbehavior are generally harsher for boys than for girls.

Many parents encourage their children to behave and play traditionally characteristic of their gender, and are very worried when they notice the opposite. By buying cars and pistols for boys, and dolls and strollers for girls, parents, often without realizing it, strive to raise strong men - breadwinners and protectors, and real women - keepers of the hearth. But there is nothing wrong with the fact that a boy cooks dinner on a toy stove and feeds a teddy bear, and a girl assembles a construction set and plays chess. Similar activities contribute to the multilateral development of the child, form important traits in him (caring in a boy, logical thinking in a girl), prepare him for life in a modern society, where women and men have long been equally successful in mastering the same professions and in many ways play the same social roles .

By telling a boy: “Give back, you’re a boy” or “Don’t cry, you’re not a girl,” parents reproduce gender and unwittingly, or even consciously, lay the foundation for the future aggressive behavior boys and a feeling of superiority over girls. When adults or friends condemn “calf tenderness,” they thereby forbid the boy, and then the man, to show attention, care, and affection. Phrases like “Don’t get dirty, you’re a girl”, “Don’t fight, only boys fight” give a girl a feeling of her own superiority over dirty guys and brawlers, and the call “Be quieter, be more modest, you’re a girl” encourages her to play second roles, giving in the palm for men.

Myths about boys and girls

Which widely held opinions are based on solid facts and which have no reliable experimental basis?

In 1974, Eleanor Maccoby and Carol Jacklin dispelled many myths by showing that people of different sexes have more similarities than differences. To find out how close to the truth your stereotypical beliefs are, consider which of the following statements are true.

1. Girls are more sociable than boys.

2. Boys have a stronger sense of self-esteem than girls.

3. Girls better than boys perform simple, routine tasks.

4. Boys have stronger mathematical abilities and spatial thinking than girls.

5. Boys have a more analytical mind than girls.

6. Girls have better speech development than boys.

7. For boys stronger motivation to achieve success.

8. Girls are not as aggressive as boys.

9. Girls are easier to persuade than boys.

10. Girls are more sensitive to sound, and boys - to visual stimuli.

The answers emerging from Maccoby and Jacklin's research are surprising.

1. There is no reason to believe that girls are more sociable than boys. In early childhood, both groups equally often form groups to play together. Neither boys nor girls show an increased desire to play alone. Boys do not give preference to playing with inanimate objects over playing with peers. At a certain age, boys spend even more time playing together than girls.

2. The results of psychological tests indicate that boys and girls in childhood and adolescence do not differ significantly in the level of self-esteem, but indicate different areas life activities in which they feel more confident than in others. Girls consider themselves more competent in the field of mutual communication, and boys are proud of their strength.

3 and 4. Boys and girls cope equally effectively with simple, typical tasks. Boys develop mathematical abilities around the age of 12, when they quickly develop spatial thinking. In particular, it is easier for them to depict the invisible side of an object. Since the difference in spatial thinking abilities becomes noticeable only in adolescence, the reason for this should be sought either in the child’s environment (probably boys are more often given the opportunity to improve this skill) or in the characteristics of his hormonal status.

5. Boys and girls have the same analytical skills. Boys and girls discover the ability to separate the important from the unimportant, to recognize the most important in the flow of information.

6. Speech develops faster in girls than in boys. Until adolescence, children of both sexes do not differ in this indicator, but in high school, girls begin to outstrip boys. They perform better on tests of understanding the complexities of language and are more fluent. figurative speech, their writings are more literate and better in terms of style. As with boys' math abilities, girls' increased language abilities may be a consequence of socialization that motivates them to improve their language skills.

7. Girls are less aggressive than boys, and this difference is noticeable already at the age of two, when children begin to take part in group games. Boys' increased aggressiveness manifests itself both in physical actions and in demonstrating a willingness to engage in a fight or in the form of verbal threats. Aggression is usually directed at other boys and less often at girls. There is no evidence that parents encourage boys to be more aggressive than girls; rather, they do not encourage expressions of aggressiveness in either one or the other.

8. Boys and girls are equally susceptible to persuasion and imitate the behavior of adults equally often. Both are influenced by social factors and understand the need to follow generally accepted norms of behavior. The only real difference is that girls adapt their judgments somewhat more easily to the judgments of others, and boys can accept the values ​​of a given peer group without compromising their own views, even if there is not the slightest similarity between them.

9. In infancy, boys and girls respond similarly to various objects environment, which are perceived through hearing and vision. Both of them distinguish the speech characteristics of those around them, different sounds, the shape of objects and the distance between them. This similarity persists in adults of different sexes.

The most objective approach to identifying differences between the sexes is to study the brain. Electroencephalography can be used to evaluate brain responses to various kinds stimulation. Such studies avoid dependence of the results obtained on the personal opinions or biases of the experimenter, since the interpretation of the observed behavior in this case is based on objective indicators. It turned out that women have sharper senses of taste, touch and hearing. In particular, their hearing in the long-wave range is so sharper than that of men that a sound of 85 decibels seems twice as loud to them. Women have higher mobility of their hands and fingers and finer coordination of movements, they are more interested in the people around them, and in infancy they listen with great attention to various sounds. With the accumulation of data on the anatomical and physiological characteristics male and female brains, there is an increasing need for new neuropsychological research that could dispel existing myths or confirm their reality.”*

* Fragments from the book by W. Masters, V. Johnson, R. Kollodny “Fundamentals of Sexology” (World, 1998).

How social gender develops

The formation of gender identity begins at an early age and is manifested by a subjective sense of belonging to boys or girls. Already in three years old boys prefer to play with boys, and girls prefer to play with girls. Cooperative games are also present, and they are very important for acquiring communication skills with each other. Preschoolers try to conform to the ideas about “correct” behavior for boys and girls that are “transmitted” to them by teachers and the children’s team. But the main authority on all issues, including gender, for young children is their parents. For girls, the image of not only a woman, whose main example is the mother, is very important, but also the image of a man, just as models of both male and female behavior are important for boys. And of course, parents give their children the first example of the relationship between a man and a woman, which largely determines their behavior when communicating with people of the opposite sex, and their ideas about relationships in a couple.

Children up to 9–10 years of age are especially susceptible to external influences. Close communication with peers of the opposite sex at school and in other activities helps the child learn behavioral gender stereotypes accepted in society. Role-playing games, which began in kindergarten, become more and more complex over time. Participation in them is very important for children: they have the opportunity to choose the gender of the character in accordance with their own, and learn to live up to their gender role. When portraying men or women, they primarily reflect stereotypes gender behavior accepted in the family and at school, exhibit those qualities that are considered feminine or masculine in their environment.

It's interesting how differently parents and teachers react to the departure from stereotypes. A tomboyish girl who likes to play “war” with boys is usually not blamed by both adults and peers. But a boy who plays with dolls is teased and called a “girl” or “mama’s boy.” There is an obvious difference in the scope of requirements for “appropriate” behavior for boys and girls. It is difficult to imagine that some activity uncharacteristic for a girl (laser fighting, auto racing, football) will cause as much condemnation as, for example, a boy’s love of toy dishes, sewing and clothes (this is well shown in the 2000 film directed by Stephen Daldry "Billy Elliot") Thus, in modern society there is practically no pure men's occupations and hobbies, but typically feminine ones still exist.

In children's communities, feminine boys are ridiculed; they are called “weaklings” and “sluts.” Often ridicule is accompanied by physical violence. IN similar situations Timely intervention from teachers is necessary, and moral support for the child from parents is needed.

During the prepubertal period (approximately 7 to 12 years), children with very different personalities tend to unite into groups. social groups, while avoiding members of the other sex. Research by the Belarusian psychologist Yakov Kolominsky*** showed that when it is necessary to give preference to three classmates, boys choose boys, and girls choose girls. However, the experiment we conducted convincingly proved that if children are sure that their choice will remain secret, then many of them choose people of the opposite sex****. This indicates the significance of the child’s internalized gender stereotypes: he fears that friendship or even communication with a representative of the other sex may make others doubt his correct assimilation of his gender role.

During puberty, adolescents, as a rule, try to emphasize their gender qualities, the list of which begins to include communication with the opposite sex. A teenage boy, trying to show his masculinity, not only plays sports, shows determination and strength, but also actively demonstrates interest in girls and sex issues. If he avoids this and is noticed to have “girlish” qualities, then he inevitably becomes a target for ridicule. Girls during this period worry about how attractive they are to the opposite sex. At the same time, under the influence of traditional ones, they notice that their “weakness” and “helplessness” attracts boys who want to show their skills and strength, to act as a protector and patron.

During this period, the authority of adults is no longer as high as in childhood. Teenagers begin to focus on behavioral stereotypes accepted in their environment and actively promoted by popular culture. The ideal girl can be a strong, successful and independent woman. Men's dominance in love, in the family and in the team is less and less perceived as the norm. Heterosexual normativity is questioned, that is, the “correctness” and admissibility of attraction only to a member of the opposite sex. “Non-standard” gender self-identification is becoming increasingly understood. Today's teenagers and young adults are more liberal in their views on sexuality and sexual relationships.

The assimilation of gender roles and the formation of gender identification occurs as a result of complex interaction natural inclinations, individual characteristics the child and his environment, micro- and macro-society. If parents, knowing the laws of this process, do not impose their stereotypes on the child, but help him discover his individuality, then in adolescence and beyond he will have fewer problems associated with puberty, awareness and acceptance of his sex and gender.

No double standards

Double standards manifest themselves in various areas of life. When it comes to men and women, it primarily concerns sexual behavior. Traditionally, a man is recognized as having the right to sexual experience before marriage, while a woman is required to do so before marriage. With the formal requirement of mutual fidelity of both spouses, a man’s extramarital affairs are not condemned as strictly as a woman’s infidelity. The double standard prescribes the man to be the experienced and leading partner in sexual relations, and the woman to be the passive, subservient party.

If we want to raise a child in the spirit of gender equality, we need to show him an example of treating people equally, regardless of their gender. When talking with your child, do not associate this or that activity or housework or profession with gender - dad can wash the dishes, and mom can drive the car to buy groceries; there are female engineers and male chefs. Don't let double standards towards men and women and be intolerant of all violence, no matter from whom it comes: a girl who bullies a boy deserves the same censure as a boy who takes away her toy. Gender equality does not negate sexual and gender differences and does not identify women and men, girls and boys, but allows each person to find their own way of self-realization, to determine their life choice regardless of conventional gender stereotypes.

* O. Weinenger “Gender and Character” (Latard, 1997).

** N. Berdyaev “The Meaning of Creativity” (AST, 2007).

*** Y. Kolominsky “Psychology children's group. System of personal relationships" (Narodnaya Asveta, 1984).

**** I. Dobryakov “Experience in studying heterosexual relationships in prepubertal children” (in the book “Psyche and gender in children and adolescents in normal and pathological conditions”, LPMI, 1986).

Possible options

Do not make a “real man” out of a boy, sociologist and sexologist Igor Kon* advises parents.

All real men are different, the only fake men are those who pretend to be “real”. Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger just as little as Carmen resembles the mother heroine. Help the boy choose the version of masculinity that is closer to him and in which he will be more successful, so that he can accept himself and not regret missed, most often just imaginary, opportunities.

Don't instill belligerence in him.

The historical destinies of the modern world are decided not on the battlefield, but in the sphere of scientific, technical and cultural achievements. If your boy grows up to be a worthy person and citizen who knows how to defend his rights and fulfill the responsibilities associated with them, he will also cope with the defense of the Fatherland. If he gets used to seeing enemies all around and resolving all disputes from a position of strength, nothing but troubles will happen to him in life.

Don't teach a boy to treat a woman from a position of strength.

It is beautiful to be a knight, but if your boy ends up in a relationship with a woman who is not the leader, but the follower, it will be a trauma for him. It makes more sense to see “a woman in general” as an equal partner and potential friend, and build relationships with specific girls and women individually, depending on their and your roles and characteristics.

Don't try to mold your children in your own image.

For a parent who does not suffer from delusions of grandeur, a much more important task is to help the child become himself.

Do not try to force your child into a certain occupation or profession.

By the time he makes his responsible choice, your preferences may be morally and socially outdated. The only way– from early childhood, enrich the child’s interests so that he has the widest possible choice of options and opportunities.

Don't force your children to realize your unfulfilled dreams and illusions.

You don’t know what devils are guarding the path you once turned off, or whether it exists at all. The only thing in your power is to help your child choose the optimal development option for him, but the right to choose belongs to him.

Don't try to pretend to be a strict father or an affectionate mother if these traits are not characteristic of you.

Firstly, it is impossible to deceive a child. Secondly, it is influenced not by an abstract “sex role model”, but by the individual properties of the parent, his moral example and how he treats the child.

Do not believe that defective children grow up in single-parent families.

This statement is factually incorrect, but acts as a self-fulfilling prediction. “Incomplete families” are not those in which there is no father or mother, but those in which parental love is lacking. The maternal family has its own additional problems and difficulties, but it is better than a family with an alcoholic father or where the parents live like cats and dogs.

Do not try to replace your child’s peer society,

avoid confrontation with their environment, even if you don't like it. The only thing you can and should do is mitigate the inevitable trauma and difficulties associated with it. Against " bad comrades“The best way to help is a trusting atmosphere in the family.

Do not abuse prohibitions and, if possible, avoid confrontation with your child.

If strength is on your side, then time is on his side. A short-term gain can easily turn into a long-term loss. And if you break his will, both sides will lose.

Never use corporal punishment.

Anyone who hits a child demonstrates not strength, but weakness. The apparent pedagogical effect is completely overwhelmed by long-term alienation and hostility.

Don't rely too much on the experience of your ancestors.

We don't know well real story everyday life, normative regulations and pedagogical practices have never coincided anywhere. In addition, living conditions have changed greatly, and some methods of education that were considered useful before (for example, spanking) are unacceptable and ineffective today.

The information and materials contained in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of UNESCO. The authors are responsible for the information provided.

A gender role is a type of social role that defines acceptable and desirable behavior for men and women.

In the North Caucasus, almost all women are economically active

Everything related to development tends to change, so there is nothing permanent in the world, including expectations from the behavior of men and women. But we’ll look into how gender roles are fixed and what determines them in our article.

Let's consider the concept of gender role in order to clearly understand the meaning of this phenomenon.

Gender roles represent the traditional behavioral responses expected in society from males and females. They can be expected, attributed, imposed, demanded by society, but any person has the right to decide for himself whether he needs stereotypical behavior.

They are instilled by society by raising from childhood a certain manner of behavior inherent in one or another gender. Let's find out what the gender role of a representative of one sex or another means using specific examples.

Examples of gender roles

Examples of individual gender roles have changed over time and as humanity has changed. Moreover, they continue to change. Thus, a person’s gender roles can be imposed and prevent him from manifesting himself as nature created him. These behavioral stereotypes lead to misunderstanding between the sexes, conflicts, and therefore make people unhappy.

Let's now look at some examples of gender roles. Since ancient times, a man has been a hunter, a leader, a warrior with such character traits as self-confidence, risk-taking, aggression, and quick reaction. The woman was always distinguished by her gentleness, compassion, care and was only concerned with maintaining the home and raising the future generation.

Naturally, time leaves its mark on behavioral stereotypes, so it is rarely seen in pure form truly feminine or masculine behavior.

Female gender role

IN Lately representatives fair half of humanity are increasingly claiming equality and almost duplicating men's line behavior, earning money, holding leadership positions and serving in the military.

What are the features of the female gender role?

The female gender role in the previous understanding implies the keeper of the hearth, mother and wife. As modernity dictates its own laws, the gender role of women is changing and expanding.

The modern gender role of women has expanded. Now a lady is often not only the keeper of the hearth, but also a worker

To do this, you will have to understand what the features of the female gender role are. It lies in the fact that a woman strives to be successful, active, resilient in the conditions of the prevailing rules in society that equalize both sexes. Thus, a lady must have time to manage the house, give birth to children, build a career, and also look amazing.

Male gender role

Men's actions are characterized by the presence of fortitude, will, and courage at all times, but this does not mean that changes did not also affect men.

Traditional education of a boy as a bearer of the male gender role (masculinity)

The essence of the male gender role

IN modern world Not only strength and courage are expected from representatives of the stronger sex. Men are required to gain status and respect, mental and emotional stability, physical stamina and avoidance of feminine activities. If a man does not achieve success in one aspect, he seeks to compensate for this by being more active in another.

A lot of other qualities are gradually being added to this list, such as intelligence, caring, restraint, the ability to communicate, and empathy.

At the same time, such signs of male behavior as clarity of thinking, stability and transmission of the gene to the future generation remain unshakable.

What is the difference between the gender roles of men and women?

With the development of society, representatives of the fair half of humanity no longer want to put up with the fate of a housewife, which forces them to reconsider social stereotypes about female behavior. This is explained by the fact that society lives according to male laws, where there is a winner and a loser, and there is no sympathy and compassion.

Following this, there is often a change in roles, when the lady is the breadwinner, and her husband manages the housework. There have been quite a lot of such couples lately, and the woman herself is not satisfied with the situation, as well as the man, because both of them lack the actions inherent in nature.

It should only be noted that the husband will cope with any housework no worse than his beloved, but in one thing he will not be able to replace her, because only a woman is destined to bear and give birth to a child. As we see, the boundaries between the generally accepted behavior of representatives of both sexes are blurring, bringing with them a lot of consequences.

Equalization of representatives of different sexes leads to the fact that the family does not have time to have a child, because there are still so many things that can be interfered with. Girls are getting married later because they need to make a career first, which also aggravates demographic situation and devalue the institution of family.

How are gender roles reinforced?

Children of both sexes are born and have standard behavior. Social reactions are acquired by girls and boys under the influence of upbringing and social expectations. Girls are encouraged to self-sacrifice, tenderness, devotion, convinced to be calm and allowed to show emotions. Boys are shown traditional male behavior, goals and principles; they require restraint in emotions and impatience with injustice.

It is worth noting that some stereotypes are already being criticized. And although it is considered shameful for a girl to be the first to meet someone, while shy boys are not held in high esteem, this situation no longer surprises anyone, whereas 100 years ago it would have led to disastrous consequences.

So, if a girl starts to fight, she is stopped instead of being enrolled in the appropriate section, but for a boy this is considered the norm. Conversely, a boy who dances causes ridicule or an ironic smile from many.

As a result, men and women, when creating a family, do not understand each other and take a long time to get used to opposing views for life, quarrel and gradually learn mutual understanding.

We should not forget that every modern person has the freedom to choose those reactions in which he does not lose his essence, remaining himself, ignoring all sorts of stereotypes and imposed expectations.

Now it has become clear what gender is, how gender roles are fixed, so each person can objectively assess his purpose in the family and behave as he suggests. inner voice conscience.

We wish you to always remain yourself and be happy!

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Gender role and gender identity

Gender role should be distinguished from gender identity: the first concept describes social expectations external to a person in connection with his gender, the second - a person’s internal sense of self as a representative of a particular gender. A person's gender identity and gender role may not be the same - particularly for transgender and intersex people. Adjusting one's gender role to one's gender identity is part of the transgender transition.

Gender roles in different cultures

Modern societies are dominated by a binary gender system - a way of social organization in which people are divided into two opposing groups - men and women. The binary gender system implies a strict correspondence between the sex assigned at birth and gender role, as well as other parameters (in particular, gender identity and sexual orientation). As anthropological studies show, the establishment of such a correspondence is not universal: in many cultures, biological, in particular anatomical sex does not play a role. key role in defining a gender role or gender identity. It is not universal to single out only two genders. For example, many indigenous North American cultures recognize three or four genders and corresponding gender roles. In West African Yoruba culture, gender is not traditionally a significant social category, and social roles are determined primarily by age and kinship.

Even within close cultures or within the same culture, gender roles can vary markedly. For example, in European secular culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, women were expected to be weak and fragile, while in most peasant cultures, women were considered naturally strong and resilient. In Western (North American and Western European) middle-class cultures since the 1950s, the female gender role has been that of the housewife, and participation in productive work has been excluded for women. Yet at the same time and in the same societies, working outside the home was an expected and self-evident element of the gender role for working-class women. Women's gender roles in socialist societies also included a combination of work outside the home, housework, and family care.

Explanations of gender development

In the debate about the origins of gender roles and differences, there are two main points of view: supporters of biological determinism suggest that gender differences are determined by biological, natural factors, and supporters of social constructivism suggest that they are formed by society through the process of socialization. Various theories of gender development have been put forward in science. Biologically-based theories that explain differences in gender roles by evolution have not found convincing empirical support. Empirical research has also refuted psychoanalytic theories that explained gender development through the child's relationship with his parents. The strongest empirical support exists for cognitive and social-cognitive theories, which explain gender development as a complex interaction of biological, cognitive, and social factors.

Views on the origins of gender roles

Ordinary consciousness often represents those existing in a given society in a specific historical period gender roles as natural and natural. There is also much research that seeks to identify the biological basis of gender roles - in particular, to establish biological origin gender differences between men and women, as well as find biological causes of gender non-conformity. But the historical and anthropological knowledge accumulated to date does not support this point of view, since the diversity of ideas about gender and gender roles in the cultures of the world and throughout history is too great. At the same time, in modern social sciences A wealth of data has been collected on how gender roles are shaped by various social processes.

Biological determinism

The point of view according to which social phenomena are determined biological factors, called biological determinism. A concept close to it is naturalization social practices- describes the process of interpreting social practices as facts of nature. Biological determinism regarding gender roles is expressed, for example, in widespread statements that motherhood is a woman's natural destiny, or that men are not naturally emotional.

Since the end of the 19th century, scientists from various scientific fields have conducted many studies on gender differences between men and women. Until the 1970s, the main purpose of these studies was to confirm biological nature gender differences and justify the content of existing gender roles. However, the results of most studies show that there are many more similarities between men and women than differences. In a widely cited review study, psychologists Eleanor Maccoby and Carol Jacklin cited four dimensions on which differences were found between men and women: spatial ability, math ability, language skills, and aggressiveness. But even these detected differences are small and strongly depend on the methodology and conditions of the study.

Since the 1970s, scientists have also become interested in the causes of gender nonconformity, that is, violation of gender roles. In particular, studies were carried out to clarify biological reasons transsexuality. There are currently theories linking transsexuality to genetics, brain structure, brain activity, and androgen exposure during intrauterine development. However, the results of these studies are also controversial - for example, the identified features of the brain structure of transsexual people are not unique (similar differences are observed in homosexual people compared to heterosexual people), and there is evidence that the structure of the brain can change under the influence of life experience.

Social constructivism

The view that gender roles are shaped, or constructed, by society belongs to the theory of social constructivism. The basis for studying the social nature and processes of constructing gender roles was laid, in particular, by theoretical works Simone de Beauvoir and Michel Foucault. Research on the social construction of gender roles shows how, in the process of socialization and interaction between people, those gender differences and expectations are formed that are perceived as natural and natural in ordinary consciousness.

According to the latest research, the differences found between men and women can largely be explained by social factors. For example, research reveals several reasons why women are less successful in mathematics than men: firstly, they lack confidence in their abilities, and secondly, they consider mathematics classes to be inappropriate for their gender role and refuse them even when show excellent abilities in this area, thirdly, parents and teachers encourage girls to do mathematics much less than boys. Thus, as some researchers have noted, gender stereotypes function as self-fulfilling prophecies: through socialization, people are taught information about gender roles that shapes their expectations of themselves, and as a result, they engage in gender-conforming behavior.

Biological theories

Biologically based explanations of gender development and differences are widespread. One of the most influential such theories, evolutionary psychology, attributes gender differentiation to heredity. The hereditary origins of gender roles are analyzed through preferences in choosing sexual partners, reproductive strategies, parental investment in caring for offspring, and male aggressiveness. From the point of view of this theory, modern gender roles are determined by successful adaptation ancestors of modern humans to differences in the reproductive tasks of men and women.

Empirical data refutes the main assumptions biological theories gender development. Many researchers also criticize the methodology of biologically oriented research. Nevertheless, biological theories continue to be very popular, including among the general public. According to some authors, this is due to the fact that in many societies ordinary consciousness ascribes to biology the status of absolute truth. In addition, the provisions of biological theories correspond to gender stereotypes.

Reproductive strategies

According to evolutionary psychology, in the process of evolution, men and women have acquired different reproductive strategies at the genetic level, dictated by the need to ensure the survival of humans as a biological species. The reproductive strategy of men is aimed at maximizing the spread of their genes, so men prefer to have many sexual partners and not waste time caring for offspring. Women's reproductive strategy is aimed at having few sexual partners who will be able to provide themselves and their offspring with the necessary resources for survival.

Many researchers question the very concept of reproductive strategy. From point of view general theory evolution, natural selection is determined by immediate practical benefits, and not by future goals. The claim that ancient men sought to become fathers as much as possible more children, and ancient women to find reliable providers, suggests that they had a conscious or unconscious goal, which, according to some authors, contradicts the Darwinian functional explanation.

Other authors have noted that the evolutionary psychology hypothesis is not supported by empirical data. In particular, the assumption that ancient women did not have enough food during pregnancy and lactation looks quite convincing, but with the same success it can be assumed that in connection with this women developed increased abilities for spatial orientation and memory , which would allow them to find and remember the location of food sources. Additional information is required to substantiate any hypothesis about specific adaptive mechanisms. Such information could come from molecular studies of fossilized human remains or archaeological data, but evolutionary psychology does not offer such data. Some authors have noted that the concept of reproductive strategies represents an attempt to "retroactively" explain modern gender stereotypes.

Anthropological data also speak against the hypothesis of reproductive strategies. They show, in particular, that reproductive behavior is influenced by cultural beliefs about the human body and reproduction. In cultures where reproduction is believed to require insemination by multiple partners, women have sexual intercourse with different partners, and these partners are not jealous of each other.

Choice of sexual partners

Evolutionary psychology argues that men tend to choose young and physically attractive partners because such partners are more likely to bear healthy offspring, and women tend to choose financially secure men who can support them. These data are confirmed by the results of surveys in which men and women named the most attractive characteristics of potential partners. However, numerous studies show that what people say is significantly different from how they actually behave: in fact, physical attractiveness influences the choice of partners in the same way for men and women. On the other hand, indicators of physical attractiveness vary greatly across cultures around the world, and most of these characteristics are not related to fertility. Some authors also point out that evolutionary psychology only explains heterosexual behavior, and suggest that proponents of evolutionary psychology avoid considering research data on non-heterosexual people because their behavior and gender roles do not match gender stereotypes and thus undermine evolutionary explanations.

Aggressive behavior

Psychoanalytic theories

Although psychoanalytic theory had a great influence on the formation of developmental psychology, empirical evidence does not support it. Research has not found a strong connection between identification with a same-sex parent and gender role internalization. Role models in children's behavior are much more likely to be caring adults or adults who are endowed with social power than threatening adults with whom the child has a competitive relationship.

The lack of empirical evidence for classical psychoanalytic theory has led to the emergence of various updated versions of it. In the field of gender development, one of the most influential recent theories is that of Nancy Chodorow. According to this theory, gender identification is formed in infancy, and not in the phallic phase, as Freud argued. Both boys and girls initially identify with their mother, but because daughters are the same sex as their mother, identification between daughters and mothers is stronger than between sons and mothers. During further development, girls retain identification with their mother and psychologically merge with her. As a result, the girl's and woman's self-image is characterized by a strong sense of interdependence, which translates into a desire for interpersonal relationships and motivates the woman, in turn, to become a mother. The development of a boy is determined by the desire to separate from his mother and further define himself in terms of difference from women, which leads to the belittlement of femininity.

But empirical evidence does not support Chodorow's theory either. Research does not find a stronger bond between mothers and daughters than between mothers and sons. There is also no evidence that women's interpersonal needs are met only through motherhood. On the contrary, research shows that women whose only social role is that of mother and wife are more susceptible to developing psychological problems than childless married or unmarried women and working mothers.

Cognitive and social theories

Cognitive and social theories of gender development include theories of cognitive development, gender schemas, social learning and social cognitive theory. Although on initial stages These theories differed significantly from each other, and their supporters had heated discussions among themselves; modern versions of these theories have much in common. In general, cognitive and social theories view gender development as difficult process interactions of biological, social and cognitive factors. All of them pay significant attention to the social sources of gender development and the active role that a person plays in his own gender development.

Social sources of gender development

Social sources of gender development include, in particular, the influence of parents, other significant adults and peers, as well as information pressure from the media, cinema, literature, etc.

Parental influence

Differences in the upbringing of boys and girls are described by the concept of “differential socialization.” Differential socialization is not necessarily expressed in the form of direct instructions or prohibitions. Research shows that differential socialization begins even before the birth of a child, as soon as his gender is determined using ultrasound. Mothers who have found out the gender of their unborn child in this way describe boys as “active” and “active,” and girls as “calm.” From birth, children are typically surrounded by gender-specific toys, diapers, and other items; Male infants are described as “large,” “strong,” and “independent,” while female infants are described as “gentle,” “delicate,” and “beautiful,” even though there are no objective differences in the infants’ appearance or behavior. Thus, ideas and expectations from children related to gender are formed by adults based on gender stereotypes long before the child can begin to exhibit this or that behavior.

Differential socialization continues in the child’s later life. For example, numerous studies show that parents are more stimulating and responsive to physical activity in male infants than in female infants. Another revealing experiment concerns the influence of adult gender stereotypes on the choice of toys for children. The experiment was initially carried out with the participation of a three-month-old child, and later again with the participation of several children aged from three to 11 months. Three groups of adults were asked to play with the child, while the first group was told that the child was a girl, the second that it was a boy, and the third was not told about the child’s gender. The adults had three toys at their disposal: a doll, a ball, and a gender-neutral teething ring. Most adults who considered the child a boy offered him a ball, and the majority who considered the child a girl offered him a doll, without trying to find out which of the toys was more interesting to the child himself.

Peer influence

As the child’s social world expands, peer groups become another important source of gender development, as well as social learning in general. In interactions with peers, children from the age of three to four reward each other for gender-typical behavior, as well as for playing in gender-same groups, and punish each other for behavior that is considered inappropriate for their gender.

Information pressure

Finally, the media, especially television, as well as literature, cinema and video games, play a significant role in gender development. In these sources from which children receive information about gender roles, men and women are often portrayed in exaggerated stereotypes: men are portrayed as active and enterprising, and women as dependent, unambitious and emotional. Portrayals of the professional lives of men and women often do not correspond to reality: men are portrayed as representatives of a variety of professions, leaders and bosses, and women as either housewives or working in low-status positions. This image does not correspond either to the real statistics of professional employment of men, or to the widespread involvement of women in professional activities. Research shows that gender stereotypes in the media and culture have a big impact on children: those who watch a lot of TV develop more stereotypical ideas about gender roles. On the other hand, non-stereotypical portrayals of different genders broaden the range of children's desires and aspirations, as well as the roles they consider acceptable for their gender. Repeated depictions of equal participation of different genders in certain activities contribute to a sustained reduction in gender stereotyping in young children.

The active role of man in gender development

Social sources of gender development often provide conflicting information about gender roles and impose conflicting expectations on the child. This requires the child, starting from a very early age, to actively seek and build his own rules and ideas about gender as something new and significant for him. social category. Activity in the formation of ideas about gender is manifested, in particular, in selective attention and memory, as well as in the formation of preferences - for example, gender-typical or atypical toys, games with peers of the same or another gender.

The meaning of gender roles

Gender roles in Russian society

see also

Notes

1. Nanda, Serena. Gender Diversity: Crosscultural Variations. - Waveland Pr Inc, 1999. - ISBN 978-1577660743.
2. Roscoe, Will. Changing Ones: Third and Fourth Genders in Native North America . - Palgrave Macmillan, 2000. - ISBN 978-0312224790.
3. Oyewumi, Oyeronke. Conceptualizing gender: the eurocentric foundations of feminist concepts and the challenge of African epistemologies // Jenda: a Journal of Culture and African Woman Studies. - 2002. - T. 2.
4. Connell R. Gender and power: society, personality and gender politics. - M.: New Literary Review, 2015. - ISBN 978-5-4448-0248-9.
5. hooks, bell. Rethinking the Nature of Work // Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center. - Pluto Press, 2000. - ISBN 9780745316635.
6. Zdravomyslova E., Temkina A. (eds.). Russian gender order: sociological approach. - St. Petersburg: Publishing house European University in St. Petersburg, 2007. - ISBN 978-5-94380-060-3.
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10. Burn Sean. Gender psychology = The Social Psychology of Gender. - St. Petersburg: Prime-Eurosign, 2002.
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Gender roles are roles determined by the differentiation of people in society based on gender. Gender role- differentiation of activities, statuses, rights and responsibilities of individuals depending on their gender; refers to the type of social roles, is normative, expresses certain social expectations (expectations), and manifests itself in behavior. At the cultural level, they exist in the context of a certain system of gender symbolism and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Gender “roles are always associated with a certain normative system, which the individual assimilates and refracts in his consciousness and behavior.”

Thus, gender roles can be viewed as external manifestations of patterns of behavior and attitudes that allow other people to judge whether an individual is male or female. In other words, it is a social manifestation of an individual's gender identity.

Gender roles refer to the type of prescribed roles. The status of a future man or future woman is acquired by a child at birth, and then, in the process of gender socialization, the child learns to perform one or another gender role. Gender stereotypes existing in society have a great influence on the process of socialization of children, largely determining its direction. Under gender stereotypes understand standardized ideas about behavior patterns and character traits that correspond to the concepts of “masculine” and “feminine.”

The gender stereotype, which concerns the consolidation of family and professional roles in accordance with gender, is one of the most common stereotypes that prescribe standard models of role behavior for men and women. In accordance with this stereotype, for women the main social roles are considered to be family roles (mother, housewife), for men - professional roles (employee, worker, breadwinner, breadwinner). It is customary to evaluate men by their professional success, and women by the presence of a family and children. Conventional wisdom says that a "normal" woman wants to get married and have children and that all other interests they may have are secondary to these family roles. To fulfill the traditional role of a homemaker, a woman must be sensitive, compassionate and caring. While men are expected to be achievement-oriented, women are expected to be people-oriented and to strive for close interpersonal relationships.

One of the grounds for the formation of traditional gender roles is the division of labor based on gender. The main criterion in this division is the biological ability of women to bear children. In modern societies, the social need for the division of labor based on women’s reproductive ability, which existed in archaic societies, has long disappeared. Most women work in the manufacturing sector outside the home, and men have long ceased to be only “warriors and hunters” who protect and feed their families. And yet, stereotypes about traditional gender roles are very stable: women are required to concentrate on the private (domestic) sphere of activity, and men are required to concentrate on the professional, public sphere.

An important role in the affirmation of the gender stereotype about the consolidation of social roles in accordance with gender was played by the concept of “natural” complementarity of the sexes by Talcott Parsons and Robert Bales, who considered the differentiation of male and female roles in structural and functional terms. According to their point of view, in a modern family, spouses must fulfill two different roles. The instrumental role is to maintain communication between the family and the outside world - this is a professional activity that brings material income and social status; The expressive role primarily involves caring for children and regulating relationships within the family. Based on these two roles, how are responsibilities distributed between spouses? Parsons and Bales believe that a wife's ability to bear children and care for children uniquely determines her expressive role, and a husband who cannot perform these biological functions becomes a performer of an instrumental role.

This theory contributed to the integration of socio-anthropological and psychological data into a single scheme. However, feminist criticism has shown that the basis of the dichotomy between instrumentality and expressiveness - for all its empirical and everyday persuasiveness - lies not so much in natural sexual differences as in social norms, the adherence to which constrains the individual self-development and self-expression of women and men.

Traditional gender roles hinder personal development and the realization of existing potential. This idea was the impetus for the development of Sandra Bem androgyny concept, according to which a person, regardless of his biological sex, can have both traits of masculinity and femininity, combining both traditionally feminine and traditionally masculine qualities. This allows us to distinguish masculine, feminine, androgynous models of gender roles. This idea was developed further, and J. Plec in his works began to talk about the splitting, or fragmentation, of gender roles. There is no single male or female role. Each person performs a number of different roles (wives, mothers, businesswomen, etc.), often these roles may not be combined, which leads to intrapersonal role conflict.

Gender roles can be studied at three different levels. At the macrosocial level, we are talking about the differentiation of social functions by gender and the corresponding cultural norms. To describe the “female role” at this level means to reveal the specifics social status women (typical activities, social status, mass ideas about women) by correlating it with the position of a man within a given society, system.

At the level interpersonal relationships the gender role is derived not only from general social norms and conditions, but also from the specific system of joint activity being studied. The role of a mother or wife always depends on how exactly responsibilities are distributed in a given family, how the roles of father, husband, children, etc. are defined in it.

At the intra-individual level, the internalized gender role is derived from the characteristics of a particular personality: the individual builds his behavior as a husband or father, taking into account his ideas about what, in his opinion, a man should be, based on all his conscious and unconscious attitudes and life experience.