Title: Gender and sex roles.

POPLINE Document Number: 201486

Author(s):

Giele JZ

Source citation:

In: Handbook of sociology, [edited by] Neil J. Smelser. Newbury Park, California, Sage Publications, 1988. :291-323.

Abstract:

The sociology of gender and sex roles has been constructed at the intersection of 2 perennial debates: 1) Do sex differences exist, and if so, what are they? 2) Are gender contrasts primarily due to cultural and social influence or to innate psychological or physical disposition? There are no simple answers, but sociology makes its distinctive contribution by spelling out the issues and developing an appropriate research methodology. To measure sex differences, sociologists have made a major conceptual contribution by specifying the significant dimensions to be compared. Sociologists' distinctive focus, however, is on gender stratification - the conditions that promote social equality or inequality between the sexes. To explain sex inequality, sociologists turn to the surrounding and interacting systems that affect all human behavior - culture and macro- and microsocial structure. At every system level, sociological studies have formulated explanations of gender difference by examining the effects of variation in adjacent systems. Sociology has accurately reflected the complexities and ambiguities that are inherent in the study of gender difference. These debates make for a vital and growing field and deserve celebration as well as continued endeavor.

Keywords:

Global
United States
Sex Role
Attitude
Inequalities
Sociology
Women's Status
Race Relations
Ethnic Groups
Social Class
Cultural Background
Households
Social Behavior
Developed Countries
North America
Americas
Psychological Factors
Behavior
Socioeconomic Factors
Economic Factors
Social Sciences
Political Factors
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Socioeconomic Status
Family and Household